Fur and Feathers
by shdwqueen
Summary: She felt tears spill over her cheeks again as she looked at the clock, willing it to be wrong. Unconsciously, Hermione drew her legs up to her chest and rubbed her now, strangely, aching right wrist. With a slight hiccup, she buried her face into her knees once more, only one thought on her mind. They're not coming. [Fleurmione]
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

 **AN:** Okay, so a few things before we begin. This is my first fanfic...ever...so I am just gonna go ahead and apologize for, well, everything. I'm not entirely sure how my writing style is so this could either be amazing or extremely terrible. Next thing is, if you see any mistakes, please let me know! This is basically a writing exercise for me and I am relying on you guys to let me know how I'm doing. So, all that said, hope you enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** Unfortunately, I am not rich and famous as I do not own Harry Potter. That belongs to J. K. Rowling.

-xXx-

The day she got her acceptance letter to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was the best day in young Hermione Granger's life. This finally explained why she was so different from her classmates, why she had trouble making friends with other kids, and of course, why strange things kept happening around her.

Her parents, whom had always been a little wary of young Hermione since her first bout of accidental magic, remained skeptical of the authenticity of the letter until they saw Professor McGonagall change into a cat and back again.

Then they were terrified.

They became even more afraid when Hermione's father took her to Diagon Alley for the first time; her mother had refused to go. While Hermione had been in awe of the, very obvious, magical beings and stores around her, Dr. Granger looked around the place as if he was going to be attacked at any moment.

After less than a half hour of being in the Alley, Dr. Granger had had enough of the strangeness going on around him and forcefully dragged Hermione out of there. Once back in the safety (normalness) of their own home, Dr. Granger informed his wife about Diagon Alley and they both reached a decision. Hermione was to never go back to that strange world. Ever.

This was the first time Hermione disobeyed her parents.

A few weeks later, armed with the letter Professor McGonagall had given her and a purse full of money she had been saving up from birthdays, holidays, and her monthly allowances, Hermione skipped school one day (she cringed and grimaced and worried the entire way to London) and went back to Diagon Alley; alone.

The moment she stepped into the Alley (Tom the Barkeeper was nice enough to let her through), Hermione felt all of the tension and worry melt away. Her parents had been harsh with her since that first fateful trip into the Magical World and she was beginning to feel like an outsider even in her own home. Here though, she was surrounded by people like her! People who understood the strange things that happened when she felt an emotion too strongly. People who could help her control and discover this mysterious thing she once thought was only in fantasy books. This thing called magic.

The day she spent in Diagon Alley could only be described as magical (Hermione laughed quietly every time she thought of this). Most everyone had been helpful to the obviously lost Muggleborn First Year. Shopkeepers answered her naïve questions about the world they lived in and helped her obtain the items she needed to attend her first year at Hogwarts. Hermione was even able to afford a backpack that had something called an Extension Charm on it (she squealed when it was explained to her) in which she was able to place all of her purchases. Unfortunately, she hadn't been able to open an account at Gringotts (lack of parents and what not), but the goblins had been able to exchange her Muggle money to Sickles and Galleons, for a small fee of course.

The only strange thing that had happened the entire day was when she went to get a wand. Mr. Ollivander was very strange to begin with and only got stranger with each ill-matched wand he gave her. As time went on and the pile of wand boxes got larger, Hermione began to doubt herself. Were her parent's right after all and she didn't belong in this world? Was this the way she was going to find out that she wasn't magical or special in anyway?

Right as she was about to give up, Mr. Ollivander presented her a beauty of wand. "Ten and three-quarter inches long, made of vine wood and a dragon heartstring core." He had said proudly (as he had done with all of the other wands), "I have a good feeling about this one." When Hermione took the handle, she felt a warmth swell from within her chest and move along her right arm towards the wand. However, before it could reach the handle, the warmth immediately died and Hermione was left dazed by the sudden cold that replaced it. When she recovered, she noticed Mr. Ollivander was talking to himself while picking up the boxes of wands. "Yes, I knew I had a good feeling about that wand. Very picky vine wood is so be careful of who you let use it. Very finicky. Of course I should've tried it earlier on…"

Hermione shook her head to rid herself of the remaining daze, paid for her wand, and left. She didn't mention the weird rush of warmth she felt to Mr. Ollivander and he didn't seem to notice anything was different. Hermione soon forgot about the weirdness of the moment as she set back out into Diagon Alley to finish her shopping before she had to head home.

Her parents never knew about her secret outing to the Alley. They never entered her room anymore, they had become too scared to be around her longer than they had to, and so she was able to hide her purchases easily. With nothing better to do and no more chores to be done (her parents had told her she didn't have to do them anymore, just remain in her room), Hermione read her new magical course books and all the history books she had picked up. If this was going to be the world she lived in, then she was going to learn everything about it that she could.

Before long, the fateful day came, the 1st of September, the day she could go to Hogwarts. The night before, Hermione sat her parents down and told them she wanted to go to the Wizarding School. She brought up pros and cons of her going, hoping that a scientific approach would warm her parents more towards the idea.

They, of course, did not cave easily.

For almost two hours they argued, back and forth between her parents' blatant fear and Hermione's need to be amongst people she felt would understand her. Finally, her parents sent her to her room, tired of hearing her pleas. While she was upstairs, crying herself to sleep, the two dentists gave each other a look and a decision had been reached without need of words.

The next morning, Hermione was surprised when her father told her to pack her things, that they would drive her to King's Cross Station. With a squeal of joy, Hermione hugged her father briefly and began to make the final touches to the already packed trunk.

Within an hour the Granger family was heading towards London.

-oOo-

Her First Year at Hogwarts did not go exactly as she thought. In her excitement to prove that she did, in fact, belong in the Magical World, Hermione rushed to answer every question the professors asked and to share her knowledge of the world to anyone who would listen. Unfortunately, Hermione soon found herself alone, again. Just like in the Muggle world, she was labelled 'bookworm' and 'know-it-all' by her peers. She knew her parents had only sent her to Hogwarts to get her out of the house so there was no asking to go back. Rejected by both her family and her classmates, Hermione spent most of her time at Hogwarts crying.

At least she did, until that fateful Halloween night when a troll entered the bathroom she had been crying in. As Hermione stared up at the ugly, stinky thing, she found it hard to care whether it killed her or not. _No one would miss me anyways_ , Hermione had thought bitterly to herself.

That was when Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley came bursting into her life.

Somehow, through shear dumb luck as McGonagall had put it (and Hermione agreed), they had been able to knock the troll out and save Hermione's life. This marked the start of an amazing friendship.

For the remainder of First Year, Hermione helped Harry and Ron with their coursework and, in return, Ron taught Harry and Hermione about the Wizarding World. Of course, they also had to deal with the mysterious and dangerous Third Floor Corridor.

After seeing Fluffy for the first time (Hermione stilled shuddered at the thought of those teeth), the trio went to Hagrid for information on the giant Cerberus. Of course, Hagrid was more helpful than he intended to be and let slip the names Nicholas Flamel and the Sorcerer's Stone. Hermione soon found herself back in the library, with Harry and Ron this time, desperately trying to find information on this unknown Nicholas Flamel. Before they could figure it out though, Christmas had come and Hermione found herself back on the Hogwarts Express heading home.

Over Christmas break, Hermione still found herself at odds with her parents. In fact, they seemed even more distant than they did before she left for Hogwarts. She spent most of the time up in her room reading. The only time she came down for any long period was during a surprise visit from her grandmother. It was only then that her parents showed any warmth towards Hermione, but she knew it was just for her grandmother's sake. By the end of the break, both Hermione and her parents were ready for her to go back to Hogwarts.

Eventually, the trio were able to figure out who Nicholas Flamel was and that Fluffy was, in fact, guarding the Sorcerer's Stone. All was relatively normal for them after that, as normal as a magical school could be at least, until Dumbledore flew to London one night. They were all determined that Professor Snape, their prime suspect, would try to get the Stone then. Of course, Hermione had doubts about the whole thing.

"Who would _fly_ to London in the middle of the night? It doesn't make any sense." Hermione whispered anxiously to Ron and Harry as they made their way to the room Fluffy was in.

"It doesn't matter," Harry stated matter-o-factly, "its Dumbledore! He must have a good reason." Ron nodded in agreement.

After making their way past the slumbering Fluffy, through the Devil's Snare, and caught the flying key, the trio found themselves on the enchanted chess board.

"Ron, you're the best at chess." Harry turned to Ron, who had puffed out his chest in acknowledgement, "think you can direct us here?"

"Harry," Hermione said, desperately trying to get the boy to listen to reason, "these tasks are too easy. There is no way any of these protections would stop a full grown wizard!"

"Hush Hermione." Ron stated while eyeing the board, "Now, here is what we do…"

After beating the chess board, where Ron sacrificed himself and got knocked out by the White Queen, Harry and Hermione made their way past the unconscious troll and found themselves in front of a potion riddle. Harry turned to Hermione with a desperate look in his eye, "Hermione, you're the smartest of us. Surely you know how to figure this out?"

Hermione looked at the riddle in front of her, looked at the potion vials, and then back to Harry. "Please Harry, rethink this." she begged him, "This entire thing doesn't make sense. Let's go get Ron to the Hospital Wing and inform another professor. Surely someone will believe us."

Harry shook his head, "No, _we_ have to do this. We don't have time to go back. Snape will have the Stone by then."

Hermione looked at him sadly, but pointed to one of the vials. "We need to drink this one. It will get us past the flames."

"But there's only enough for one…" Harry looked at her.

"Who's going to go through then?"

They both looked at each other, not wanting to abandon the other to face Snape alone. Finally Harry took a deep breath and took the vial. "Hermione, go back. Get Ron and go find a professor. Also grab Hedwig. Send a message to Dumbledore, I'm pretty sure we will need him. I'll try and hold Snape off as long as I can."

Hermione frowned at the thought of sending for Dumbledore, whom she was slowly starting to doubt, but still nodded her agreement. "Be careful Harry." She gave him a quick hug and dashed back towards Ron.

By the time she got to him, Ron was slowly coming to. Hermione dragged him to his feet and together they raced off to the Owlery to get Hedwig and send an urgent message to Dumbledore. On their way to Professor McGonagall's office, they figured they would try her again since she was their head of house, they bumped into Professor Snape in the hallway. Ron and Hermione stared at him in horror and quickly told him about Harry defending the Sorcerer's Stone from somebody ("We thought it was you!" Hermione squeaked out). Hearing their rushed tale, Snape turned and ran towards the Third Floor Corridor, ordering Hermione and Ron to get McGonagall.

Once they found her, Hermione and Ron told Professor McGonagall about Harry and Snape. They were then told to go to the Hospital Wing ("And stay there!" ordered McGonagall as she rushed out) to get checked out by Madam Promfrey. After being given a clean bill of health, Hermione escaped with nothing but a few scrapes and bruises while Ron had a mild concussion which was easily fixed, they had nothing to do but wait. Fortunately they did not have to wait long as Dumbledore soon entered the room with an unconscious Harry floating behind him.

"Is he dead?" Hermione gasped, her hands going to her mouth in fright.

Dumbledore looked at her behind his moon glasses, his eyes twinkling, "No my dear, his magic is just depleted. He will be ok in a few days." Hermione did not question this diagnosis, just happy her friend was safe.

Soon the true story of what happened was leaked and the entire school knew about Quirrell and Harry's fight. No one was told about the Sorcerer's Stone or what happened to Quirell though, they all assumed he was shipped off to Azkaban.

Harry made a full recovery and Gryffindor celebrated their surprising victory of the House Cup ("This isn't right." Hermione whispered to Ron and Harry as they, along with the rest of Gryffindor house, were celebrating. "Who cares, Hermione," Ron shouted at her, "we won!"). Eventually, it was time to pack up and board the Hogwarts Express to return home for summer break. Everyone, even Hermione and Harry (who were both dreading going home and seeing their families), were excited for the long break from school.

-oOo-

Platform Nine and Three Quarters was bustling with activity as students exited the Hogwarts Express and rushed off to meet up with their families. Shouts of joy and laughter could be heard throughout the platform and Hermione, Ron, and Harry could barely hear each other over top of the noise. Spotting the signature red hair of his family, Ron dragged both of his friends towards them to try and escape some of the crowd.

"Mum!" Ron shouted towards Mrs. Weasley as they all approached. After a trying year at Hogwarts, he was looking forward to lazing about at home and eating his Mother's cooking.

"Look, Mum! There he is, there he is!" Ron's little sister, Ginny Weasley, excitedly pointing towards their little group, but of course it wasn't Ron she was pointing at. Hermione saw this and nudged Harry in the ribs who turned a lovely shade of red and ducked his head.

"Famous as ever, Harry." Hermione laughingly told him. The poor Boy-Who-Lived had gotten even more famous after his fight with Quirrell.

"Not where I'm going," Harry said, "not sure if that's a good or bad thing though." Harry grimaced as he thought of his horrible Aunt, Uncle, and Cousin and how much he was dreading going through the barrier and seeing them again.

Hermione patted his shoulder reassuringly, "Don't worry Harry, I'll write you all the time. I won't forget about you."

At this time, Ron came back to them from talking to his family, "Yea mate, me neither. In fact, you should come over sometime this summer." Ron quickly glanced in Hermione's direction, "Both of you should! I'll send an owl."

"That'd be awesome Ron," Harry said with a smile, "I'll definitely need something to look forward to." Hermione smiled her agreement.

Mrs. Weasley came over at this time and placed her hand on Ron's shoulder. "Are you ready to go Ron dear? We must be getting dinner on the table."

Ron smiled up at her, "Yea Mum, I'm starving! Bye guys." With a wave over his shoulder, Ron walked back over to where his family was waiting by the Floo.

Mrs. Weasley turned back to Harry and Hermione, "Will you both be ok going through the barrier?" "Yes, Mrs. Weasley." They both stated. Giving them a parting smile, Mrs. Weasley joined her family and one-by-one, they were gone.

Harry and Hermione walked through the barrier of Platform Nine and Three Quarters and was immediately greeted by the hustle and bustle of Kings Cross Station.

"They really need a better location for this," Hermione said under her breath as some man almost knocked her trolley over. Harry smiled at this, but quickly grimaced as he saw his Uncle Vernon coming towards him.

"We haven't got all day boy." Uncle Vernon wheezed out, his face already gaining a purplish tint to it, "Let's go!" Harry glanced back at Hermione, gave her a final smile that did not quite meet his eyes and rushed after his uncle.

Hermione stared after them, wishing there was something she could do for Harry, who was obviously not happy with his living situation. Her eyes narrowed as she saw Harry and his uncle meet up with some horse faced woman and a very obese boy, obviously his aunt and cousin, both looking terrified at Harry as if he would lunge at them any minute. _Honestly, the nerve of some people,_ Hermione thought angrily.

As Harry and his family, if one could call them that, began to walk away, Hermione started glancing around the station for her own parents. However, as the crowd slowly dispersed, she could not find them anywhere. Hermione saw a bench close to the barrier and decided to sit and wait for them. "Traffic must be worse than I thought," she quietly said to herself.

Sitting there quietly scanning the crowd eventually became boring. Hermione soon pulled her favorite book, Hogwarts: A History, out of her trunk and began to read, occasionally glancing around herself to see if her parents had shown up.

Thirty minutes became an hour and not even the book could hold Hermione's attention as she became worried for her missing parents. "Calm down Hermione," she told herself as she began to pace in front of the bench, "something could have happened. Maybe there was a wreck on the way and traffic got backed up." _But what if they were the ones who wrecked?_ Her brain said. Hermione quickly shook her head to rid herself of these thoughts. "I must remain positive," she muttered to herself.

An hour became two and a nearby police officer, who had been watching Hermione for quite some time now, came over and asked if she was lost. "No sir," Hermione stated as politely as possible, "my parents just seem to be a little late picking me up. I'm sure they'll be here in no time." The officer gave her an unsure look and looked around as if he didn't know what to do. Really sir," Hermione said, slowly becoming desperate that he didn't take her to the station to wait for them, "they'll be here any minute. They must've not been able to close the office till later today." The officer finally wondered off with a promise to Hermione that he would be back if they still hadn't shown up.

Two hours became three and Hermione followed closely behind a family after she saw the officer make his way back towards her. She followed them to the lobby of Kings Cross and found another bench to sit on, this one close enough to the front doors so she could see her parents immediately, but hidden enough that no officer would see her without looking. It was slowly becoming dark outside and she was becoming very worried.

Three hours became six and it was completely dark now. Hermione had her knees drawn up to her chest, her face buried into her legs, tears slowly staining her jeans. Quiet sobs wracked her body as her mind fretted over where her parents were. Her twelve year old mind, even as mature as she was, could not imagine where her parents had gone, why they weren't there. She expected them to burst through the doors any minute, worried themselves, and apologize for being so late. Her stomach growled, making her realize that she hadn't eaten since leaving Hogwarts, but she could not find the will to get up and buy something from the nearby café. _I'll eat when I get home,_ she thought to herself _, when my parents come._

Hermione jolted upwards as a gonging noise resided throughout the, now nearly empty, lobby of Kings Cross Station. _Must've fallen asleep,_ she thought with a yawn. Hermione rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and glanced up at the clock which was still chiming.

12 o'clock. Midnight.

She felt tears spill over her cheeks again as she looked at the clock, willing it to be wrong. Unconsciously, Hermione drew her legs up to her chest and rubbed her now, strangely, aching right wrist. With a slight hiccup, she buried her face into her knees once more, only one thought on her mind. _They're not coming._

-oOo-

At the same time, down in the south of France, a young girl, no older than fourteen, bolted straight up in her bed. She was breathing heavy, a cold sweat covering her body. She brought her hand up to her heart, thinking that she would find blood from some sort of wound. Her heart was hurting terribly, it felt like it was being ripped out and torn into tiny pieces. As spots were beginning to cloud her vision she screamed. **"** _Maman!_ **"**

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

 **AN:** Oh my gosh! Holy crap! I never expected this story to take off like this. I'll admit, I thought that maybe a few people would like it, maybe one or two review tops, but the amount of attention this received within the first few HOURS? I never thought that would happen. Thank you, all of you, for your reviews, follows, and favorites. I love and cherish each one I received. I really hope that I don't disappoint anyone as the story progresses.

So, a quick clarification before we begin. I can speak French (very choppily and with a distinct accent), I can understand it if you talk reeeallly slllooowwwllly to me, and I can read it if I read out loud and sound out the words like a preschooler. I CANNOT write it. I can barely spell in English (Thank you Spellcheck!) so I didn't have a snowballs chance in Hell of spelling in French (let alone any other language). So, this is how its gonna be.

" _When I write like this, I am 'writing' in French._ "

"When it's like this, we are in English."

 _And of course, this is thoughts._

Good? Got it? Great! Forward!

 **Disclaimer:** I definitely DO NOT own Harry Potter. I just take the characters and make them do my bidding.

-xXx-

"Oye! What are you doin' here? Have you been here all night?"

Hermione bolted straight up at the loud voice close to her, her back and neck cracking due to the position she had been laying in. She moaned at the pain and slowly looked around in confusion, wondering why she was still at Kings Cross Station, when she remembered. _That's right,_ she thought bitterly, _my parents abandoned me._ Her heart ached at the thought.

"You deaf or sometin'? What are you doin' here?"

She turned and saw an older man in some uniform. Rubbing her itchy, blurry eyes ( _Curse crying myself to sleep_ , she thought bitterly), she looked again at the agitated man and saw he was in a police uniform. He was an officer. _Oh bollocks,_ Hermione cursed.

"Oh no sir!" Hermione said, jumping off the bench. "I arrived on the first train and was waiting for my parents. Must've fallen asleep." She laughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of her neck. "Couldn't really sleep on the train."

He looked back at her skeptically, his arms crossed in front of his chest, and one of his eyebrows raised. The longer he stared at her, the more awkward she became. _Why is he staring at me like that?_ she thought to herself, feeling her face go red. _Please go away._ Eventually, the officer grunted and walked away from her, muttering under his breath. She slowly released a sigh of relief and sat back on the bench. "Now what?" she muttered to herself.

After a few minutes of thinking, mostly about her parents and how terrible they were, Hermione stood up, grabbed her trunk, and headed towards the nearest restroom. She opened the door and, after making sure no one else was in there, locked the main door behind her. After doing her morning routine as best as she could, she pulled out her backpack with the Extension Charm ("Thank God for magic," she muttered to herself) and began to stuff all of the items from her trunk inside. When she was done, she placed her wand in her jacket pocket, put the rest of her Muggle money in her other pocket, picked up her backpack, and dragged her, now, lighter trunk out of the restroom.

Hermione walked back into the lobby of Kings Cross Station and looked around for a pay phone. Finding one relatively nearby, she dragged her trunk over, pulled out some change, and dialed her house number. She crossed her fingers and hoped that her parents were there and not at the office. Hopefully, if she could just talk to them, they would see reason and come pick her up.

"Hello, Puckle residence." A kind voice on the other end said. This brought Hermione up short.

"Err…hello?" Hermione hesitated, "I'm looking for the Granger residence and I'm pretty sure I dialed the right number…"

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry. I'm afraid that the Granger's moved a few months ago." Hermione felt her heart stop.

"D-d-do…" Hermione had to take a deep breath, "Do you k-know where th-they went?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't…Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." Hermione winced at the harsh tone she used. "Thank you." She hung up quickly. She put more change into the machine and dialed the number to their office, praying that they were there. She slammed the receiver as she heard the automated message stating the number was no longer in service. Hermione placed her forehead against the wall beside the phones and took deep breaths. _Don't cry,_ she told herself, _don't cry,_ her wrist ached again, _please don't bloody cry again!_

After a few moments, Hermione was finally able to calm herself down enough to think clearly. _I need money_ , she thought, slowly coming up with a plan, _I can sell back my school stuff. I'm sure I saw a second-hand shop in Diagon Alley._ With a determined nod to herself, Hermione turned around and walked out of Kings Cross Station.

On her way to the Leaky Cauldron, Hermione's stomach growled loudly, forcing her to pause and wince at the pain. _I need to eat,_ Hermione thought to herself. She looked around and spotted a nearby café. Knowing that it would be cheaper to buy something in Muggle London than Diagon Alley, Hermione made her way to the café, hoping no one would comment on her being by herself. Luckily, the place was rather deserted and the barista behind the counter looked half asleep. After ordering a sandwich and a cup of tea ( _Can't believe this used up the rest of my money,_ Hermione thought bitterly), she went and sat in a booth by the window awaiting her order.

While she ate, Hermione thought of her plan. _I need to sell back my things. Hopefully for a good price too._ She began to make a mental list. _Then, I need to try and haggle with the goblins over a fair exchange rate. At least a better rate than they offered the first time. But then what?_ This had Hermione pause. Should she try and look for her parents more? Hermione quickly dismissed the idea, not wanting to be around the Granger's anymore, _I'm better off without them anyways._ But, where would she go? _Grandma!_ she thought in excitement. The old woman had always loved Hermione. Surely she would take her in and understand what happened. _That is if the Granger's haven't gotten to her first,_ she thought angrily. The only problem with this was that Mrs. Maria Granger lived in Lyon, France. Way too far to simply walk and there was no way she could afford a plane ticket. _I guess I can catch a bus,_ Hermione thought slowly, _maybe even catch the train if I get enough back_. She hoped that she would be able to get enough money from selling her stuff to pay for it, the train would be a lot easier. With a determined nod to herself, Hermione finished her breakfast and left.

It turned out that selling her old school stuff wasn't as hard as she thought. Apparently, a lot of students came back and sold their old books and robes after they couldn't use them anymore. The shopkeeper even gave her a good deal for all of her First Year books since they were in perfect condition (Hermione scoffed at him for even thinking that she would ruin a book). With everything but a few changes of clothes sold, the only thing left to do was exchange the Wizarding coin to Muggle money. Should be easy enough.

-oOo-

Apolline Delacour was beginning to worry about her eldest daughter. After waking the entire family up in the middle of the night with a horrific scream, Apolline and her husband, Damien, rushed into her room, wands drawn, only to find her passed out in her bed in a cold sweat, breathing heavily as if she had run a marathon. Being unable to wake her and fearing the worst, Apolline had immediately called her mother and the head of the Delacour clan, Régine. Upon entering her granddaughter's room, Régine had taken one look at Fleur, gathered her in her arms, and fled deep into the woods where the Veela rituals took place, Apolline following close behind.

After an hour of chanting and worrying, Fleur had finally awoken and immediately began crying, **"** _It hurts Maman._ **"** Apolline rushed to where her daughter was sitting upon the stone rock.

" _What hurts my darling?_ **"** Apolline asked, trying to determine what was causing her young fledgling such pain.

" _My heart. It hurts so bad!_ **"**

" _Do you feel a pull?_ **"** Régine asked suddenly.

Apolline rolled her eyes at her mother. **"** _That is impossible, Mother. She would not feel a pull until her birthday._ **"** However, as she was saying this, Fleur looked towards her grandmother and slowly nodded her head. Seeing the confirmation to her thoughts, Régine closed her eyes and let out a breath, whether of relief or of sorrow, Apolline did not know. The eldest Veela slowly walked towards her family and grasped Fleur's hand. **"** _Which way, my child?_ **"** Fleur put her head down as she thought of where her heart was telling her to go, where the pain hurt the worst, and slowly brought her hand up and pointed in a direction.

" _North?_ **"** Apolline asked slowly, looking at her mother questioningly. Régine grimaced at this, **"** _That means they are not a Veela, at least not of our clan._ **"** Fleur also grimaced, but was secretly glad for this fact as she could not imagine her mate as any of the Veela she had grown up with.

Apolline shook her head, **"** _That matters not. Fleur,_ **"** Fleur looked at her mother with tears in her eyes, **"** _what were you dreaming about before you woke up? What caused all of this?_ **"** Fleur blushed at the question and looked back down bashfully.

Régine rolled her eyes, **"** _Come child. We are Veela. We do not get embarrassed over trivial things._ **"**

Taking a deep breath, Fleur looked back up at her mother and grandmother, **"** _I was riding on the back of a great beast through the woods. I could not see what the beast was, but I could feel its soft fur._ **"** once again, Fleur began to blush, **"** _We were almost to our destination. I-I am not sure where we were going, but I know we were almost there. Anyways, all of a sudden, I was thrown off of the creature. I could hear it roaring and thrashing around._ **"** Fleur's eyes began to tear up at the memory, **"** _It sounded like it was in a lot of pain. I went to reach for it and as soon as I touched its fur, a pain shot through my arm into my heart._ **"** Fleur rubbed her chest again, **"** _I had never felt so hurt, so betrayed…I felt alone. Like I could never trust anyone ever again, like no one would ever love me again._ **"** Tears began to fall from her eyes and she looked down again, becoming overcome with sadness from her dream.

Apolline turned to her mother with worry in her eyes, **"** _Mother…what does this mean?_ **"**

Taking a deep breath, Régine turned to her daughter and briefly touched her arm, **"** _It means that Fleur's mate is in trouble._ **"** Fleur let out a sob and clutched her grandmother's hand tighter. **"** _Do not worry my child, Fate will guide us. Apollo has always helped us Veela out. However,_ **"** at this Régine grimaced and Apolline looked at her mother worriedly, **"** _there is nothing we can do at this point. We can only do the rituals when their life is in danger._ **"**

Apolline scowled, **"** _And we will not have much notice before that happens._ **"**

" _Unfortunately not._ **"** Régine turned to the young Veela still crying, **"** _Fleur, you must tell us if you feel any change, immediately. Do you understand?_ **"** Fleur nodded her head in acknowledgement. **"** _For now, you will continue your training over the summer. Fate will guide us Fleur, never forget that._ **"** Fleur looked up at her grandmother and nodded again, her eyes filled with a determination that was never present before.

-oOo-

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief as the train began to pull forward. The goblins hadn't been kind with their exchange rate, at least not as kind as she had been hoping for. However, she had been able to come up with enough money to get the train to Lyon. Unfortunately, the ticket used up most of her money and only left her with a few bills left. Hopefully, she would not have to buy anything on her journey and her grandmother would be able to take care of her.

During the train ride, Hermione had a chance to think about her parents, specifically why they had abandoned her. Sure, she could acknowledge that things between them had been icy since she had gotten her acceptance letter ( _Before then actually,_ if she was going to be honest to herself), but surely things hadn't been bad enough that they felt the need to completely leave her. No note, no indication of where they were going, no nothing. Hermione felt tears pool in her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. _No,_ she thought to herself, _I've cried enough over those people. They will not get anymore tears from me._

 _But what about Hogwarts?_ Hermione suddenly thought. _Harry, Ron, my studies, magic? Could I convince Grandma about all of it AND she help me go back?_ Hermione leaned against the side of the train, looking out the window. _I can't just give up on magic, can I? I definitely don't want to._

She thought back to when Professor McGonagall first showed up at her house. McGonagall had told them that if they declined the offer of going to Hogwarts, their memories of the Magical World would be erased by somebody called an Obliviator. Hermione sat up in a panic, startling the elder woman sitting beside her. _What if the Ministry hunted me down and obliviated me? What if I forgot all about magic? And Harry and Ron? Would they come looking for me or would they forget about me?_ Hermione thought bitterly, _Or was I really just a 'know-it-all bookworm' to them?_

Hermione shook her head and rested back in her seat. No use in worrying about that now. If Obliviators did come for her, maybe she could explain her situation to them and they would help her out. Hermione scoffed silently, _I doubt it. So far, wizards haven't shown much compassion or common sense._

Soon enough, Hermione was lulled into a light sleep from the motion of the train. She dreamt of better times where she was back in Hogwarts with Harry and Ron. They were running through the halls and laughing. They visited Hagrid in his hut and saw the baby dragon. She dreamt of the first Quidditch match again and how happy she was that Harry was ok and had caught the Snitch, winning the game.

Hermione smiled in her sleep, a lone tear making its way down her cheek.

-oOo-

Hermione was startled out of her dream by the announcement of their arrival to Lyon. Quickly gathering her bag and exiting the train, she was soon overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of the large city. She had been to London a few times and it didn't stun her anymore. This, however, was a whole new city. A very large, foreign city where she was only able to speak a bit of their language. What was worse is that she didn't know exactly where her grandmother lived. She had only been to visit a couple of times and that was when she was younger. The only thing she remembered clearly was the name of the park her grandmother lived close to as she often wrote about it. Hermione felt herself begin to panic so she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and began to walk to the travel kiosk by the train station.

" _Er…Excuse me?_ **"** Hermione waited for the attendant to look her way, **"** _Hi, um, I am…er…to look for Parc de la Tête d'Or?_ **"**

The attendant gave her a strange look, for what reason Hermione was unsure of. Finally she pulled out a map and gestured for Hermione to look at it. **"** _You are here._ **"** The attendant pointed at a spot on the map and Hermione nodded. **"** _You need to go here._ **"** The woman traced her finger along a few roads until she circled a large green area. Once again, Hermione nodded her understanding and asked, **"** _Mark with a pen?_ **"** The woman gave her a small smile, nodded, and marked the path with a pen. As she was handing the map over she suddenly asked, **"** _Where are your parents?_ **"** Hermione stilled and looked at the attendant. After hesitating for a moment she finally gave an awkward smile, **"** _I am to meet at the park. Thank you! Bye!_ **"** Hermione rushed off without giving the woman a chance to respond.

As she was walking away, Hermione let out a breath of air as she didn't hear anyone calling after her. _Got to get to Grandma's_ , she thought with determination. She looked at the map and followed the path that was marked out for her.

After about a half hour of walking, she came within sight of the park entrance (Hermione breathed a sigh of relief that she didn't get lost). She looked around at the buildings and tried to find something that looked familiar to her. After a few moments, she located a restaurant that she thought she recognized and began to walk in that direction.

Through trial and error (and much turning around) Hermione finally found herself in front of an apartment complex that she recognized (she hoped at least). It was very dark now, and Hermione was tired and hungry. She walked around it a few times just to be sure this was the one from her memory. _Here goes nothing,_ she thought to herself and walked through the front door.

The lobby of the building was quite large and empty. The receptionist desk was also empty so there was no way to know for sure which floor her Grandmother was on. _Or if this is even the right building at all,_ Hermione thought bitterly. She was about to take a seat in a chair near the entrance when she heard a voice call out to her. " 'ermione Granger!? Eet 'as been so long!"

Turning around, startled, Hermione was relieved to see her grandmother's next door neighbor coming towards her. "Mrs. Claudette! I was worried I had the wrong building. I am so happy to see you." Hermione raced over and gave the elderly woman a hug.

The woman returned the hug then held Hermione at arm's length. "Look at you! So grown! I 'ave missed you coming over and raiding my books." Hermione smiled bashfully at this.

"I was so worried when you were not wiz your parents, but zen zey told me about your very exclusive boarding school. I am so proud of you, ma chére. But…what are you doing 'ere?"

"My parents were here?"

"Oh oui. Zey came straight away once zey 'eard zee news. Your fazer was very upset, poor zing."

Hermione started to get a sinking feeling in her gut; her wrist started to ache again. "W-what news?"

Mrs. Claudette frowned down at Hermione. "Maria passed away about a monz ago. I zought you knew."

Hermione, once again, found herself bursting into tears.

-oOo-

The Delacour family was resting before bedtime in the library. Damien was entertaining his youngest daughter, Gabrielle, a young Veela of only six years of age, and Apolline and Fleur were sitting on the couches reading. Apolline would occasionally glance up at her mate and youngest fledgling with a smile when Gabrielle would giggle loudly at her father's antics. She would also look over to Fleur when no one else was looking and frown.

The girl had seemed to age a few years within the span of a day. Since being informed about her mate's unknown predicament early this morning, Fleur had thrown herself into the day's lessons. It seemed as if she wanted to learn more about fighting as a Veela and becoming a better leader faster so she could go find her mate and rescue them. _It was situations like this that made being Veela hard_ , Apolline thought sadly.

Without warning, Fleur looked up sharply from her book towards the window. She frowned, stood up, and walked towards it, laying her hand against the glass pane. **"** _Fleur?_ **"** Apolline called, also standing, **"** _What is it? What happened?_ **"**

Fleur cried silently as she stared out the window, yearning to go towards the one calling out to her in pain and make it all better, **"** _Something has happened, Maman._ **"** Apolline gasped, fearing the worst. Damien, who had been informed about the situation, looked towards his wife for guidance.

" _It does not feel is if their life is in danger._ **"** Fleur reassured her mother. The feeling she had did not feel like the one her grandmother described to her. She frowned, **"** _It feels as if they have lost the last bit of hope they had._ **"** Fleur turned towards her mother, who pulled her immediately into a tight hug, and began to sob.

" _It will be ok, my child._ **"** Apolline looked out the window her daughter had been at, speaking to both the fledgling in her arms and the one that was in so much pain, **"** _It will be ok._ **"**

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

 **AN:** Much love to all of you guys. Every review I've received has been nothing but supportive so I have to say thanks to everyone (even my silent guests who just pop in). I'll admit, I wanted to try and get a regular schedule on updating (was aiming for once a week), but I got too excited to keep this chapter from y'all. That's why I'm posting this at 2 am (for me at least) and not during daylight hours.

I do want to explain something though. I never did like how Fleur was represented in the series. J.K. did not go into enough detail of the Veela life in my opinion, so I'm taking a few liberties here and making a culture for them. It will become clearer as the story progresses, but I just wanted to give everyone a heads up.

Also, its probably going to be very obvious, but I have never been to France or England or anywhere else outside the US. Please forgive me if I don't have locations of places correct, I just kinda made it up as I went and hoped for the best.

Anyways, hope you enjoy.

 **Disclaimer:** Update: I still don't own Harry Potter...

-xXx-

Hermione found herself sitting on an old, musty couch eating a sandwich, trying not to think too much on how she got there. She always got embarrassed when she cried, but to completely sob and make a fool of herself in a semi-public place was beyond embarrassing. Even if the emotions were for a good reason.

After breaking down in the lobby of the apartment complex, Mrs. Claudette brought her into her home where Hermione told her everything that had happened. Mrs. Claudette was, to say the least, furious.

"Zey did not come pick you up?" She had asked, horrified at the thought of abandoning a child.

Hermione had shook her head, sobs wracking her small body as she finally let lose all of the emotions she had been holding back. "And when I-I called the house and th-they h-h-had moved, I was so scared. I thought," Hermione hiccupped and wiped her face, trying to catch her breath, "I then thought that I could stay with Grandma. B-b-but she-she's…" Hermione could not finish as her sobs became too much and she buried her face into her hands.

Claudette pulled her into a tight hug and started to rock her. "Eet will be ok, 'ermione. Shh. Eet will be ok. Come, let us get you cleaned up and get you somezing to eat, yes?"

It had taken a while to calm down, but after eating and sitting on the couch for a bit, she felt the days stress catch up with her. Mrs. Claudette had went into the kitchen after she was done eating and hadn't come back yet. Hermione was about to fall asleep where she sat when she heard a hushed voice coming from the other room.

" _Yes, that is correct. She showed up in the lobby looking for her grandmother, the girl did not even know she had passed away. I do not know what to do._ **"** There was a slight pause. **"** _No, I told you already. Her parents did not pick her up from the train station and apparently she called the house and their practice and they had moved away completely._ **"** Another pause and Hermione was wide awake now. **"** _No, there are no other family members that I know of. No known distant relatives either._ **"** This pause was longer, but even though she could not understand all the words, Hermione understood enough to guess who was on the other end of the line.

She got angry at Mrs. Claudette for calling the police, but had a sudden thought which terrified her. _If she is talking to the police, then they will come to take me away!_ Tears filled her eyes as she thought of all the horror stories she had heard of orphanages and foster homes. _No! I can't let that happen._ Hermione slowly got up from the couch, wincing slightly as it squeaked, picked up her backpack, and started to tiptoe to the door. She could still hear Mrs. Claudette talking quietly on the phone, but Hermione no longer cared about what was being said. She eventually reached the door and was about to open it and escape when she caught sight of Mrs. Claudette's purse. Gnawing on her lip and hating what she was about to do, Hermione opened the purse and grabbed most of the money she saw. Closing her eyes and whispering a barely audible "Sorry", Hermione stuffed the money in her jean's pocket, opened the door as silently as she could, and made her way to the elevator.

As soon as she hit the ground floor, Hermione ran out of the building and started turning corners blindly. She had to put distance between herself and the older woman before she found out that she had left and inform the police. Eventually, she found herself back at the park (how she got there, she will never know). It was very late now and the park gate was closed and locked. Looking around to make sure no one was around, Hermione pulled out her wand, said a little prayer that the Trace would not find her, and whispered "Alohomora."

Hearing the lock click open, Hermione counted to ten, terrified to move in case somebody from the Ministry would come after her. After no one showed up, she quickly opened the gate, slipped inside, and locked it behind her. Turning around and gazing at the empty park, Hermione felt truly alone and overwhelmed. Tears quickly came to the surface, but she swiped them away before they had a chance to fall.

Once her eyes were clear, Hermione spotted a large building on her left and started walking towards it. She walked around to the back and spotted a dumpster resting between it and the wall surrounding the park. Grimacing slightly at the smell, Hermione walked towards it and slid down the building to sit. Hermione gazed blindly at the wall in front of her, bringing her knees up to her chest and resting her chin on them. "What do I do now?" she whispered to herself. She no longer felt like she was going to burst into tears, she just felt so numb. The only thing she felt was the slight aching of her wrist which she no longer even bothered with. Glancing up at the moon, she drew her knees up even tighter, "What do I do now?"

-oOo-

 _Four months later…_

" _Stop! Thief!_ **"**

Hermione ran as fast as her legs would carry her, not daring to look over her shoulder. The box of cereal she had swiped was held tightly in her arms as she ran back to her safe haven. Tourists stopped and stared after her as she ran into alleyways and across streets. She finally slowed down and came to a stop when she could no longer hear the shopkeeper yelling after her.

Breathing heavily, she turned around to ensure no one was following her and allowed herself to grin. _This is getting easier_ , she thought happily. She began to slowly walk towards the pier she called home. On her way back, she began to reminisce about her journey to Nice, the beautiful beach city she was currently living in.

After that night in the park in Lyon, Hermione had slowly made her way to the South of France. It had been a long journey on foot, but after a few weeks of travel, she had finally made it. Unfortunately, the small amount of money she had stolen from Mrs. Claudette had been quickly used up as Hermione had bought food for the journey. Luckily though, she still had her magical backpack with her that made carrying and hiding everything a lot easier.

Hermione still remembered her reasoning for going to Nice in the first place and she smiled at the memory. _It's warmer than Britain in winter, there are lots of tourists so that means there will be lots of places to grab food, and it's the beach! Who doesn't like the beach?_

Avoiding the police and concerned adults became easier over time. She soon learned how to spot the difference between an extremely nice person (those who would ask where her parents were) and those people who were just trying to make it through the day (the ones more likely to ignore her). Upon arriving at the beach, Hermione noticed that a bunch of kids were running around, usually without an adult. This also made it easier not to draw attention to herself.

The first time she had to steal from a store, Hermione had felt so nervous and guilty that she almost talked herself out of it. Her empty stomach, though, was a louder voice than her conscious and she managed to make a clean get away without being caught ( _Definitely beginner's luck,_ she now thought). Fortunately for her, she did not have to steal but once every week or so, she was able to scavenge most of her food from tourists. She was also fortunate at having never been caught. Chased away and screamed at, yes, but not physically caught.

She paused in her musings as she came to the staircase that descended down to the beach. Slowly navigating it so she did not slip on the sand, Hermione reached the beach and trudged her way to the pier. As she passed under the first beam and walked towards the front of the pier, where the wood met the earth, she smiled as she felt the familiar magic surrounding her home. Looking at the, seemingly, empty area where the magic was the strongest, Hermione stepped through the magical field and found herself home.

Her home, if one could call it that, did not consist of much. A bundle of blankets where Hermione slept were scattered in the back. A box rested beside it, half filled with small boxes of food. Another box filled with clothes was a distance away. Finally, a jug of water, a small lantern, and her enchanted backpack completed the small area where Hermione lived. _Not too much,_ Hermione thought, _but, then again, I don't need much anymore._ Smiling to herself, she flopped down on the blankets and began to eat her newly acquired cereal.

As she ate, she placed her hand against the magical barrier to feel the level of magic. _Going to have to recharge it soon_ , she thought. The barrier was a sort of happy accident. Hermione had no clue where to go when she first arrived in Nice. Her first night, she had stumbled upon the pier and decided to sleep there. Upon awakening, she had found a young boy poking her with a stick, assuming she had been dead. After scaring him away, Hermione pulled out her wand, not really thinking, and reached for the magic within her.

After unlocking the gate to the park in Lyon, Hermione had been experimenting with her magic. Unfortunately, she did not know many spells as most of the First Year books had been more about theory than anything else. However, through lots of practice, Hermione figured out that if she 'pushed' hard enough with her magic and thought about what she needed it to do, the magic seemed to work on its own. Of course, she had to 'push' harder than she thought was normal. The first couple of times she tried, the warmth of her magic would race along her arm and suddenly vanish before it reached her wand, just as it had done in Mr. Ollivander's store so long ago. After much practice, Hermione had finally managed to 'push' the magic on through.

The magical barrier that surrounded her home was the largest spell she had done to date. Usually she only used her magic to lift things to her, open doors, and produce water (it had only happened once so far and the water was boiling hot, but she was still hopeful that she could do it again). The only thing Hermione thought of after scaring the boy away was _I want to be hidden. I want to be safe._ Now, thinking back, she knew this could have gone a bunch of different ways, but she guessed that her magic understood what she meant. She soon felt the magic leave her wand and cover the surrounding area. After it was over, Hermione was drained and fell back to sleep immediately. She didn't discover what had happened until she left a few hours later. Since then, Hermione has called this place home, knowing that no one would venture this far under the pier.

Hermione frowned to herself as her thoughts turned darker. Life on the streets was definitely not easy, but the hardest day for her was on the 1st of September. Knowing that the day had come that she should be on the Hogwarts Express was very hard for Hermione. She had been disappointed that neither Ron nor Harry had sent her an owl at all, but quickly dismissed it for several reasons. _I don't know how owls work,_ she reasoned with herself, _maybe they can't deliver messages to other countries. And maybe they DID try to send a message, but sent it to the Grangers' old house._ She did miss them something terrible, though. However, the fact that she hadn't even got her Hogwarts letter was very hard to swallow. _Guess they only send those to students who paid tuition_ , Hermione thought bitterly. She wanted to think that the professors and students had noticed that she was not on the train, but did not put too much faith into it.

Her birthday on the 19th of September was also very hard to live through. She spent the entire day in her makeshift bed, crying. She cried for her lost childhood, her dead grandmother, and her friends that had probably forgotten her. She thought briefly about her parents, but quickly became angry. _This is all of their fault_ , Hermione angrily swiped her tears away, _and they do not deserve my tears._

Besides those two hard days, Hermione had quickly adapted to her new life. It was early October now and she was feeling pretty set up, like she finally belonged somewhere again. At least, as well as she could belong out on the streets of Nice. Luckily, her common sense and quick wit has helped her immensely. She was able to figure out multiple options and plans within a few seconds of being in a situation and her eidetic memory made it hard for Hermione to become lost. Her mental abilities also helped with learning the French language so she could communicate with the people better.

Finished with thinking about the past, knowing that if she continued to think she would become upset, Hermione set the rest of her box of cereal to the side. After watching the sun set, she covered up with her blankets and slowly closed her eyes. _Life could be a lot worse,_ she thought to herself as she fell asleep, _could be a lot better too._

-oOo-

Over these past few months, Fleur pushed herself harder than she ever had before. She threw herself into her studies to try and distract herself from the constant pain in her heart. Once school started, she basically lived in the library, learning every spell and theory she could. On the weekends, when Beauxbaton students were allowed to go home, Fleur found herself in combat training from sun up to sun down. The fourth year student wanted to be fully prepared for whatever she would find when she finally went to search for her hurting mate. _I will protect you my love,_ Fleur thought with determination, _you will never be alone again once we are together._

Luckily, there had been no more sharp pains associated with her mate. Things had been relatively calm now, but there was still a constant ache indicating that they were still not completely safe. Fleur could not imagine what they were going through, but vowed to herself, that she would never let them go through this pain again.

The 'pull' as her grandmother called it, personally she called it a sharp, forceful 'tug', was now almost directly south when she was home, indicating that her mate had traveled. Fleur often wondered if they had ever been so close that they could have found each other. She wondered if they had ever been in the same city, just a block away. There were times she found herself walking in the direction her heart was pulling her. Every time, she anxiously looked at each passing face, eagerly awaiting the instant recognition her Grandmother often described. And every time, she was called to return home, a thick cloud of disappointment hanging over her.

Along with the pull of her heart and soul towards her mate, also brought the full force of her Veela self. Even though she had been taught most of her life how to deal with it, the Veela's arrival before her fifteenth birthday ( _When it were originally supposed to make itself known,_ Fleur thought bitterly) made her Veela harder to control. This was another reason she basically lived in the library. Her moronic classmates were falling over themselves trying to gain her attention due to her out of control Thrall. After her third detention for hexing some stupid boy (who had the audacity to come up and grab her), Fleur was determined to have as little contact with them as possible.

Even her family was not safe from her rage. Fleur winced as she thought back to how she changed into her feathers one weekend when young Gabrielle had only been bugging her to play. After that, her mother had sent her out to the woods to calm down; Fleur had not returned home until it was time to return to school, too scared that she would transform again. Fleur was afraid to be around her family anymore. She did not want to hurt them, but the Veela within whispered to her constantly that they are the reason they could not go and find their hurting mate. It whispered that they were the ones holding them back, the ones who they had to overthrow to be free and find the one who was calling out to them.

Fleur had rushed to her grandmother when she first heard the Veela whisper to her, terrified of what it was saying. Luckily, Régine understood completely what her granddaughter was going through, and taught her how to talk to the Veela and reassure it. Fleur now found the time she wasn't training at home high in the skies in her feathered form, giving the Veela some of the freedom it desired.

One day, during her break from Andrée (one of the combat trainers for the Delacour clan) her mother came to her, worried.

" _Fleur, I know you are worried, but please, take a break. You have been pushing yourself too hard for too long!_ **"** Apolline was desperate to see her fledgling smile again, knowing that it was impossible until Fleur found the one calling out to her.

Fleur glanced up at her mother briefly, panting slightly from her training, and shook her head.

" _Your mother is right, Fleur._ **"** Andrée called out from where she was putting away their practice blades, **"** _There is no need to push yourself like this. Go out, have fun today. Fate will guide you when It thinks you are ready._ **"**

Fleur frowned at them both, fighting between the need for a break and her desire to be prepared.

 **Maybe if we go out, we can go searching for our mate.** her Veela whispered to her. She frowned at the thought and told it their mother would never let them out of her sight. **We can sneak off then. We have been practicing.** Fleur began arguing with the Veela, wanting it to stop giving her bad suggestions.

Unaware of her daughter's internal struggle, Apolline tried a different approach, **"** _We can do anything you want Fleur. You can decide where we go and what we do._ **"** This caused both Fleur and the Veela to pause in their argument. Just as she was about to tell her mother she was not interested, the Veela suddenly spoke up, **I want to go to the beach.**

Fleur snorted out loud at the thought and both Apolline and Andrée raised their eyebrows at her. _Why the beach? We hate the beach._ Fleur thought at the Veela. With only a returned sensation that felt like the Veela shrugged its shoulders, Fleur looked to her mother, **"** _We…uh…I mean…I want to go to the beach._ **" "** _We?_ **"** Apolline looked at her daughter and recognized the stress. **"** _The Veela wants to go to the beach?_ **"** Fleur blushed in response and ducked her head.

Looking at Fleur in confusion, Apolline eventually shrugged her shoulders, **"** _Alright, we will go to the beach. I will inform Mother and gather Gabrielle._ **"** With that, she walked off, very curious as to why Fleur's Veela wanted to go to the beach of all places.

Fleur stared after her mother's retreating form, wondering why she agreed to the trip (seeing as ALL Veela hated large bodies of water), while her Veela seemed to be celebrating its minor victory. Turning to Andrée, who looked very amused about the whole thing, Fleur blushed and lowered her eyes, **"** _Sorry Andrée. It seems that we will have to cut this short._ **"** The weapon's expert gave a short laugh and rested her hand on top of Fleur's head. **"** _We have all been there Fleur. I just hope your Veela finds what it is looking for._ **"** With a parting grin, Fleur ran back to the house, her Veela's excitement becoming infectious.

-oOo-

The Delacour women were stared at the instant they stepped out of the alley they had Apparated in. Fleur more so than the rest of her family since her Veela's nervous energy radiated out in the form of Thrall. Fleur swallowed nervously, anxiously looking up at her grandmother who smiled back at her.

" _Calm down Fleur._ **"** Régine quietly told her, **"** _There is no need to be so nervous. We are here to relax, remember._ **"** Fleur nodded at her, put her chin up and began to walk forward.

Eventually, the Veela family made its way to the boardwalk and Fleur began to relax. She was actually enjoying her day at the beach, as long as she stayed away from the water that is. Even her Veela remained quiet, just being content in taking their surroundings in. Gabrielle was currently dragging her around a corner, having run back from where she was up ahead with Apolline, very intent on showing her some sort of jewelry from a store they had found. Just as they rounded the corner, Fleur collided with someone, sending them both to the ground.

Fleur had her eyes closed, rubbing her aching head (the part of her body that seemed to hit the stranger), when she felt her Veela still. Opening her eyes, the first thing she noticed was bright, amber eyes, opened wide in shock. Blinking once, Fleur saw the slightly matted, greasy, brown hair, the tanned skin, the cute button nose, and the mouth that was fallen open in shock. Fleur felt her heart stop with one breath and start pounding the next. Her mouth became dry and her hands started to shake. Fleur barely noticed the crackers crunch under her feet as she slowly stood up or her mother and grandmother calling out to her. She noticed nothing but the girl in front of her, the girl who had been calling out to her for what seemed like forever, the girl who was her soulmate.

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

 **AN:** Alright, a few of you asked a couple of questions (a few that I had not even thought of) and I wanted to take the time to explain some things. This story is going to follow Hermione and Fleur most of the time. This way we can get their thoughts and insights on the situations they find themselves in. The only time I will write like this with another character is when they are introduced to either Hermione or Fleur and their insight is important to the story (like with Apolline in Ch. 2). So therefore, we are not going to see what is happening back in Hogwarts until we actually go back (which we will, don't worry). As for some of the other questions, the only thing I can say is just wait and see. Your questions may not be answered within the next few chapters, but they will eventually be addressed.

 **Disclaimer:** Wait! ...no...nope sorry. Still don't own Harry Potter.

-xXx-

Hermione could do nothing but gawk at the girl she had run into. She knew deep down that this response was silly, but that did not cause her to stop staring. When they first ran into each other ( _Literally_ , she thought, her head still hurting from where they had collided), Hermione had looked at the other person, about ready to yell at them for not watching where they were going. That was before, of course, Hermione looked at the girl.

It had felt as if her entire being, even her magic, froze in place upon first glance at the girl. Hermione couldn't even remember where she was or what she had been doing previously, all that mattered now was _her_. Hermione took in the entire sight, slightly messed white-blonde hair ( _from being run into no doubt,_ her mind supplied for her), bright blue eyes that seemed to stare into her soul, fair skin that had not a single visible blemish. The girl seemed to be an angel and had fallen on Hermione when she came from Heaven. Utterly perfect.

As the girl rose to stand, the sun caught her hair and a golden glow seemed to shine around her. Hermione was unsure how she had even breathed before meeting this wonderful creature, but she felt surely she would be unable to if they were parted.

" _Are you alright?_ **"**

 _Even her voice was perfect,_ Hermione thought in a daze, slowly nodding to indicate that she was, in fact, okay. The girl bent down with a small smile and offered her hand, obviously wanting to help her up. As Hermione reached out her own, their fingertips just lightly grazed each other and Hermione felt the worst sensation run through her body.

With a yelp, Hermione scooted away from the girl until she backed into a wall, holding her right hand to her chest. Keeping an eye on the girl (whom, Hermione noticed wearily, had lost her golden glow), Hermione rubbed her wrist, trying to feel for the injury that must surely be present. When their hands had touched, it had felt as if a white hot poker had wrapped itself around Hermione's wrist. It had been made worse when her magic had rushed towards the area, making the fiery hot feeling worse by its own warmth.

The girl had jumped back, both hands out in front of her in a 'calm down' fashion, and looked at Hermione terrified. She shifted forward again as if she wanted to see if Hermione was alright, but something kept her back. She seemed to be debating with herself over something and Hermione was too wary of her to say anything. Before either could decide on what to do, a voice broke through their little bubble.

" _Fleur! Are you alright? What happened?_ **"**

Two older blondes, Hermione had to rub her eyes to see if she was not seeing double, came running out of the store beside them. It was only then that Hermione noticed a smaller blonde standing off to the side, tears in her eyes as she glanced back and forth between Hermione and the strange girl she had run into. The girl ( _Fleur_ , her mind supplied) waved off the older women and continued to stare at Hermione. As the other two women turned to look at her too, Hermione had had enough of their scrutiny and quickly dashed off. _Whoever they are,_ Hermione thought to herself, _I want nothing to do with it._

It wasn't until Hermione was a block away that she heard footsteps running behind her. Sparing a quick glance over her shoulder, Hermione saw the girl chasing after her, a determined look in her eyes. Feeling her own eyes widen in shock, Hermione began to use every evasive maneuver she could to try and lose the girl.

Eventually, they came upon the pier and Hermione decided to dash into her safe haven, praying that the girl did not see her 'vanish'. Luck was not on her side today it seemed. As Hermione passed through the barrier, she felt it come crashing down. "Shit", Hermione cursed under her breath and hid behind a nearby post, praying that the girl did not venture under the pier or she would surely see her. Counting to ten, Hermione chanced a quick peak around the post to see if the coast was clear. Alas, however, the girl was standing there, looking back at her.

They both stared at each other in utter shock, but before Hermione could manage to dash past her, the girl held up her hands, **"** _Wait!_ **"**

To Hermione's shock, she felt her body still again. All of her muscles locked up and no amount of willpower seemed to make them move. _Some kind of magic?_ Hermione thought in horror. _Is she a witch?_

" _I know I scared you before and I am unsure how I caused you harm,_ **"** here, the girl looked like she was going to cry, **"** _I only wanted to help, but I seemed to make it worse. I wanted to say I am sorry._ **"**

Hermione swallowed noisily, the tension she felt soothing at the sound of the girls voice and her mind sending red flags because of it. **"** _It is alright._ **"** Hermione said after sometime.

This seemed to let the girl relax as her shoulders dropped and she breathed a sigh of relief. **"** _That's good. I would like to start over if you wish. My name is Fleur._ **"**

"… _Hermione..._ **"**

The girl, Fleur, beamed at Hermione, but then suddenly frowned as she looked around them. Hermione blushed at the scrutiny her home was getting and looked down in embarrassment.

" _My family was about to go eat lunch. Would you like to join us?_ **"**

Hermione looked up, shocked that this perfect girl wanted her, an obvious homeless girl, to go eat with her and her perfectly normal family. Hermione was about to decline, her pride not wanting to take any more hits, when her stomach grumbled loudly. _Of course you would,_ Hermione frowned internally, _I knew I should've grabbed breakfast._ With her face a bright red, Hermione nodded bashfully at Fleur who beamed back once more. Being careful not to touch her, Fleur gestured for Hermione to follow and the two began to walk back to the boardwalk.

The walk was awkward, to say the least. Hermione had no idea what to say to Fleur. She has always been shy around other people and after a few months of having no one to really talk to, whatever confidence she had built up from Hogwarts had dwindled away to nothing. Fleur also seemed to be at a loss for words. Hermione noticed that she would often glance in her direction, as if to make sure that Hermione was still there. Luckily though, for both of their sakes, Fleur's family hadn't been too far away.

" _Mother, Grandmother, this is Hermione._ _ **"**_ The two older blondes smiled at Hermione who blushed in response. **"** _Hermione, this is my mother, Apolline, my grandmother, Régine, and my little sister, Gabrielle._ **"** The littlest blonde waved shyly from behind her mother. Hermione couldn't help but smile slightly at how adorable the little girl was. **"** _I hope you did not mind but I invited Hermione to come eat lunch with us,_ **"** Fleur glanced at Hermione before turning back to her family, **"** _as an apology for running into her._ **"**

No one spoke for a while after Fleur was done with introductions and Hermione blushed deeply at the thought of being judged by this perfect family. She was about to turn around and walk away when the eldest blonde waved her hand, **"** _Of course we do not mind. I just hope Hermione does not mind being around us old people._ **"** Régine winked at the obviously nervous girl and Hermione smiled weakly in response.

Gabrielle took offense to this and poked her grandmother in the leg, **"** _I am not old Grandmaman! I am only six._ **"**

Apolline gasped and put her hand over her heart, **"** _No! Surely not. Six years old!? You are practically an old maid!_ **"** Gabrielle frowned.

" _Yes Gabby,_ **"** Fleur snickered at her sister (her mother and grandmother smiling warmly at her, Hermione noted) **"** _You are going to need to find a job soon._ **"**

The little girl had enough with their teasing and turned her back to them all, her arms crossed in front of her chest with her head high in the air. The three blondes laughed at her and Hermione slowly felt herself relax around them.

Still chuckling, Régine turned to Hermione, **"** _Where would you like to eat? You are our guest so you get to decide._ **"**

Hermione blushed once more, **"** _I do not care. Anywhere is good._ **"**

Régine frowned suddenly, but hid it quickly with a grin. **"** _Alright. I know the perfect place._ **"**

-oOo-

Lunch was not as bad as she thought it would be. Apolline and Régine entertained them all with stories of the two girls and how much trouble they had gotten into over the years. Fleur told Hermione about her boarding school and how she wanted to be an archeologist like her father.

" _He travels all over the world,_ **"** Fleur said with delight, **"** _and explores musty old tombs to find their treasure._ **"**

" _And to learn their history._ **"** Apolline stated wearily, as if she had been repeating the phrase for some time now. Fleur just waved her off, more interested in telling Hermione about her father's latest expedition.

Hermione also learned that Apolline was a doctor of some sort and Régine worked for the government. Luckily, nobody asked where Hermione's family was. The only question they asked her was how long she had been living in Nice.

" _Er…a few months,_ **"** Hermione blushed ( _Wish I would stop doing that,_ she thought to herself), **"** _It is very good here._ **"** Apolline smiled lightly at her and quickly changed the subject by telling another story about Fleur's trouble making skills. Régine, however, seemed to stare at Hermione for quite some time. Blushing once again under the scrutiny, Hermione turned her entire focus to the story.

After lunch, just as Hermione was trying to figure out how to say goodbye to the kind family, Régine invited her to spend the rest of the day with them. Shrugging off Hermione's shocked look, Régine simply stated, **"** _I enjoy spending time with you and I know the rest of my family agrees. As long as you enjoy us why not spend the day together._ **"** Not knowing how to decline the offer without seeming rude, Hermione accepted the invitation.

Once she agreed, Gabrielle seemed to take charge and took Hermione by the hand, dragging her to all the stores. Fortunately, the little girl didn't produce a searing pain like her sister did. With the constant gabber of Gabrielle, Hermione slowly felt herself fully relax around the family, even going as far as enjoying her day out. She had never felt the need to browse the stores like they were doing now and it was a very welcomed change from her daily routine. She did have to remind herself constantly that this was a family she had just met that day and would more than likely never see again. _I hope I do though,_ Hermione thought wistfully, knowing it was more than likely impossible.

Strange things continued to occur throughout the day. One of which being that Hermione always knew when Fleur was close by. It did not matter whether Hermione was paying attention or not, anytime the blonde was close, the burning pain in her wrist came back. At one point in time, Fleur accidently touched her arm and Hermione yelped in pain. Apolline had come immediately ( _Motherly and doctoring instincts no doubt,_ Hermione thought) and asked what had happened. Briefly looking at Fleur, who was staring at the ground, Hermione quickly shook her head and tried to ignore the heat, **"** _Nothing, Madame Delacour._ **"** Apolline frowned at her, obviously detecting the lie, but said nothing more on the matter other than reminding Hermione to call her by her name.

Another thing that happened was the constant gaze of the eldest blonde, Régine Delacour. Hermione could not figure out what the older woman was looking for in her and would often avoid her gaze at any cost. Of course, while she was avoiding her gaze, Hermione often noticed that Fleur stared at her too. There was a big difference between the two though. Régine would continue to hold her eyes if Hermione made the mistake of looking back at her. Fleur, on the other hand, would look down in embarrassment, only to glance shyly back up at Hermione, blushing like mad. This confused her to no end. Hermione did not understand why the beautiful girl acted so shy and nervous around _her_ for some reason. _I'm nothing special,_ she mentally frowned as she watched Fleur go bright red again in a store, _something must be wrong._ She shook her head quickly, getting rid of those thoughts. _I'm not going to let her ruin the best day I have had in a long time._

Of course, all good things had to come to an end. By sun down, the Delacour family and Hermione were sitting along the wall, looking out at the beach, enjoying the last moments of the day. Hermione had her eyes closed, a small smile on her face as she listened to Gabrielle excitedly talk to her mother and grandmother about the amazing day they had. For the first time in a long while, Hermione felt at ease, just like any other kid in the world. There was no stress or worry, she had a home and a family awaiting her after she left the beach, all of it was perfect.

" _Maman, Maman! Look! An ice cream shop! Can we get some, please?_ **"** Gabrielle practically begged her mother.

Laughing, Apolline got up and let her youngest drag her towards the store, **"** _Come on Fleur. I am going to need some help carrying them._ **"** Hermione saw Fleur frown and open her mouth to say something when she looked towards her grandmother. Being unable to see the look the older woman gave, but knowing it was significant, Hermione watched Fleur close her mouth with an audible snap and walk quickly after her family. She began to tense up again as the gaze of Madame Delacour was once again upon her.

They stared at each other for a few more moments before Régine smiled and turned once more to the sea. **"** _Do you believe in Fate, Hermione?_ **"**

Hermione could only stare at her in confusion, wondering where the older woman was going with this. Not bothered with not getting a response, Régine continued, **"** _I do. I know my daughter does and it would not surprise me if my granddaughter does now too. Fate is a funny thing you know._ **"** She glanced at Hermione out of the corner of her eye. **"** _At one point, you think you know where your life is going, but one tiny thing can change everything. I do not know how you ended up here from Britain,_ **"** Hermione opened her mouth in shock, having never told them where she was from, **"** _but I do know it was something terrible that drove you away. I think Fate brought you to us for a reason and for that I want to help you._ **"** Hermione felt tears well in her eyes, confused about how this woman, who had only known her for half a day, would want to help her or even how she could. **"** _But for me to do that, I need you to do something for me, understand?_ **"**

Hermione hesitated a moment, thinking over her options. She wanted more than anything to believe and trust the older woman, but her time on the streets had made her wary of adults.

Curiosity finally got the better of her and she slowly nodded her head, wanting to see what Régine would say. **"** _I want you to take me to where you are staying. We will pack up any belongings you have and you will come stay with us. I will not have you living out on the streets any longer._ **"**

Hermione's mouth fell open in shock once more and she felt the tears fall down her cheeks. _Surely this must be a dream_ , Hermione thought dazed, _there is no way this woman would offer something like this to a complete stranger._ "Are you serious?" Hermione finally asked, still staring at the woman wide eyed.

Finally Régine turned to her and wiped the tears from her face, "Oui 'ermione. I am very serious. I would never forgive myself if I left you 'ere today. I want you to come 'ome wiz me, wiz my family." Hermione let out a sob of relief and crushed the older woman in a hug, crying into her chest and repeating "thank you" over and over again. Régine returned the hug, smiling down at her granddaughter's mate all the while.

-oOo-

Fleur's Veela grumbled to her the entire time as she walked after her mother and sister, angry it had to let its mate out of their sight. It had felt like a dream when she had found her mate ( _Hermione_ , Fleur thought with a grin) and she found herself needing to keep looking at her, just to make sure she was really there. Fleur felt as if she was going to wake up any minute with the stabbing pain still present in her heart and the unknown terror for her mate hovering over her.

Of course, their first meeting did not go how she expected it to. Fleur had been horrified when her very touch seemed to cause Hermione so much pain. The Veela had especially taken offence to it, claiming that there was some sort of Blocker on Hermione, causing their magic to be unable to meet. _That is ridiculous,_ Fleur had thought at it, _it does not make any sense and we do not even know if she is a witch._ Of course, Hermione _running away_ _from them_ had not helped matters either. Fleur was ashamed to admit that she had lost control of her Veela then, who had proceeded to chase after the poor girl.

Of course, seeing where she had hidden, obviously the place where she had been staying, had nearly broken Fleur and the Veela both. They had been horrified to see the pile of filthy blankets, the small box of food, and the box of dirty clothes that her mate had. This also forced Fleur to take a better look at her Hermione; how filthy she was really was, how tired she looked, and the way her clothes seemed to hang from her body.

She had not had a chance to tell her Maman or Grandmaman about Hermione's living conditions or about how she seemed to hurt the girl whenever she was near. She was almost positive that Maman knew something was wrong when she had accidently grasped Hermione's arm in the store, but she wanted to talk to her just in case.

Fleur finally caught up with her family as they were standing in line at the shop. **"** _Do you think she will be alright?_ **"** Fleur asked her mother worriedly.

Apolline waved her off, eyes never leaving the list of flavors, **"** _She will be fine Fleur. Your grandmother will not allow any harm to come to her. In fact,_ **"** Here she glanced out the shop to where her mother and Hermione were sitting, **"** _she should be offering her a place to stay right now._ **"** Fleur breathed a sigh of relief, her Veela crooning in delight that their mate would come home with them and finally be safe, _One less thing to worry about._

Apolline looked at her fledgling in amusement, **"** _You did not think we would let her remain on the streets did you?_ **"**

Fleur had the decency to blush, **"** _Truthfully, I was unsure if you knew about her living conditions._ **"**

" _You have seen where she has been staying?_ **"**

" _Yes, and it was terrible Maman,_ **"** Fleur looked at her mother, tears filling her eyes as her Veela cried for its mate, **"** _I saw it when we ran after her._ **"**

" _She will be coming to stay with us now, right Fleur?_ **"** Gabrielle looked up at them, **"** _Then you will be happy again and come play._ **"** Fleur smiled at her sister and nodded.

" _Mother, there is something else._ **"** Apolline gazed at Fleur in apprehension, worried about the seriousness of her tone, **"** _Every time I get near her, I seem to cause Hermione pain. It is worse if I touch her in anyway._ **"**

Apolline's eyes widened in shock, **"** _In the store…_ **"**

" _I was not thinking and grasped her arm. She screamed in pain and grabbed at her wrist._ **"** Fleur hesitated for a moment, but continued on at her Veela's urging. **"** _The Veela believes that she has some sort of blocker on her which does not allow our magic to meet._ **"**

" _Is it certain of this?_ **"**

" _No…we are not even sure if she is magical at all. The Veela seems to think so, however._ **"**

Apolline frowned and looked back towards the counter as the line moved forward, **"** _Well, there is nothing we can do now. We will have your father look for something when we get home._ **"**

Fleur nodded her agreement and felt her Veela calm down, knowing that their family was going to help look after their mate.

-oOo-

Hermione slowly led Régine to her home under the pier. She had hesitated in even bringing the woman back there, but she had made a promise and also wanted to grab her enchanted backpack. She doubted the Delacour family were magical and she wanted to keep one of her only ties to the Magical World she had briefly lived in.

When they first arrived, Hermione had looked down in shame. Her home ( _dwelling_ , she corrected bitterly) had seemed fine to her when she was alone. But to have someone else there brought to light how little she truly had. Luckily, Régine did not say a word, just sucked in a breath and pulled Hermione into a hug.

"Grab what you want to keep 'ermione. We will go shopping again tomorrow."

Hermione's eyes filled with tears once more at the kind gesture and quickly grabbed her backpack. Régine frowned at it for a moment, but then gave a secret smile and looked her in the eye. " 'ermione…do you believe in magic?"

At those words, Hermione stilled completely. _No way,_ she thought to herself as she stared wide eyed at the older woman who kept shocking her. Giving her a wink, Régine pulled out a wand ( _A wand!_ Hermione thought with glee) and waved it around the area. Hermione looked around and saw everything had disappeared. The area looked bare, as if no one had been there for a while, as if she hadn't been living there for months.

"You're a witch." Hermione exclaimed breathlessly, hope filling her once more that she did not have to give up the Magical World at all. "How did you know I was one? What if I'd been a Muggle?"

Régine laughed at the shocked girl in front of her, glad to see more life returning to her once dull, brown eyes. "Ma chére! Your backpack, it is 'eavily enchanted. It 'as an Extention Charm on it, non?"

At her shocked nod, Régine's smile grew larger, "Zat is 'ow I was able to tell. I could sense the magic on it. No Muggle would 'ave such an object. Zis is good zough. It will be much easier coming to a magical 'ome for you. It should be familiar to you, non?"

Hermione frowned slightly, "Madame Delacour, I've never been in a magical home before. I didn't know magic even existed before last year."

" 'ow many times will I 'ave to tell you to call me Régine? And zat matters not. Zere will be some zings you must get used to, but I am sure you will manage."

Hermione once again found herself speechless at the kindness of the older woman. She had briefly encountered some Pureblooded bigots back in Hogwarts (Draco Malfoy and his gang sprang to mind) and was worried that Madame Delacour, _Régine_ , would be the same way. Fortunately, Régine was nothing of the sort and still accepted Hermione with open arms. Finally smiling up at the kind woman ( _Witch,_ Hermione reminded herself), she shouldered her backpack and walked out from under the pier, vowing to herself to never return.

-oOo-

Hermione and Régine met back up with the rest of the Delacour girls as they were coming back with their frozen treats. Apolline smiled warmly at Hermione upon seeing the backpack she had, knowing that the girl was going home with them. Hermione blushed as Fleur beamed at her and Gabrielle squealed with joy, all of them obviously knowing that Régine was going to make the offer while they were gone. Hermione gladly accepted the ice cream cone from Fleur, wincing slightly from the pain at the nearness of the girl. Apolline made note of the pain and vowed to have her husband check it out as soon as they were home.

They all finished their ice cream quickly, anxious to get home and for Hermione to get settled. Hermione began to get nervous as she followed her new family through the city and into a dark alley. _Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all,_ she thought as they came to a secluded spot far away from the general public.

" _I am going to guess that you have never even heard of Apparation, let alone traveled by it. Am I right?_ **"** Régine turned to Hermione who shook her head. **"** _We have to do this away from the Muggles. It would not due for us to completely vanish before somebody's eyes._ **"** Apolline breathed a sigh of relief, glad to see that Hermione did not look at her mother completely crazy at the Magical terms, only curious to the spell she mentioned. Fleur's eyes lit up as she too came to the conclusion that Hermione knew of the Magical World, but young Gabrielle was the most excited. **"** _You are a witch?!_ **"** Hermione nodded bashfully at the young girl, quickly glancing at the other members of the Delacour family, only to see excitement and joy in them all.

" _You will help teach me spells, yes? Maman and Papa will not let me learn until I go to school and Fleur got mad at me last time because I blew up her room. But you will teach me, right?_ **"**

" _That is enough, Gabrielle._ **"** Apolline quickly chastised the young witch, who immediately began to blush, **"** _You know perfectly well that I forbade ANYONE from teaching you magic till you are old enough because you not only blew up Fleur's room, but the dining room and library as well!_ **"**

" _I did not!_ **"**

Hermione's eyes lit up at the word 'library' and was even more anxious to see the Delacour house. It had been so long since she had read a book and she was looking forward to it immensely. Fleur came up to Hermione while her mother and sister were arguing. **"** _You would be what? A third year? Fourth year maybe?_ **"**

Hermione quickly shook her head, **"** _I would be a Second Year._ **"**

Fleur's eyes widened with shock, **"** _I did not think you were that young, Hermione. Will you be alright going back to Beauxbatons?_ **"**

" _Beauxbatons?_ **"**

" _Yes, Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. I take it you have never been there before._ **"** Hermione quickly shook her head. **"** _It is the magical school in the South of France. It is actually a little bit east from here. What school did you go to?_ **"**

" _Hogwarts._ **"**

" _Oh…_ **"** Fleur seemed to think a bit before shrugging, **"** _That explains why I do not remember you. But, you will be wanting to attend there now right?_ **"**

Hermione's eyes lit up at the idea of returning to school, **"** _I would like that._ **"** Fleur smiled in response.

" _Alright! Enough. Let us go home before you attract the attention of the Muggles._ **"** Apolline took Gabrielle and Fleur by the hand while Régine grabbed hold of Hermione. **"** _Be warned, Hermione. This is not going to be the most pleasant experience you have ever had._ **"**

And with that, the Delacour family and Hermione popped out of Nice.

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

 **AN:** Sorry, but this is going to be a long note before the chapter.

I've got to admit, I struggled writing this chapter (not in the way you think). I would be working on it and all of a sudden I would find myself going back and rereading everything. When I would get to the end my brain would scream, "OHMYGOSH! WhAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?!" before it remembered that WE were the ones writing it. This is also the reason that it is so much longer than the others (so far at least). I honestly couldn't find a stopping place that suited me (and I am still not too happy about where I stopped).

Anyways, this chapter and the next holds some of the first scenes I kept imagining when I originally thought of the story. I was super excited to finally get to write it and I feel like it went even better than I imagined. Be warned, this chapter is going to show just how much of an AU I have created and might be more than some of you guys wanted (although I doubt it because I dropped enough hints and people have been guessing). But still, I hope everyone likes and enjoys it as much as I did writing it.

Finally, before the chapter starts, I just want to say thank you to everyone who has reviewed the story (I love my followers and the people who favorited too). Reading your responses and thoughts are just amazing and I look forward to them every time I post a new chapter. So seriously, thank you so much.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter. If I did, my ship would not be so full of holes by canon.

-xXx-

Upon landing, Hermione immediately doubled over in pain. She kept breathing and had to force herself not to puke as the effects of Apparition slowly faded. When she finally felt like she could move without emptying her stomach, Hermione looked up and saw that both Gabrielle and Fleur looked a little green as well. Régine chuckled slightly at the youngsters, **"** _The feeling is worse for Side-Along Apparition, but it gets easier the more times you do it._ **"**

Shaking her head one last time, Hermione stared at the house they were in front of and immediately her mouth opened in shock. The Granger's had definitely not been poor, but even their large property could not compare to the mansion she stood in front of. The only thing that Hermione could think of was that it was simply huge! The style seemed to be older than the buildings she was used to being around and the front lawn itself was massive (Hermione almost wished she knew more about architecture so she could appreciate it even more). Beyond the manor lied a vast forest that Hermione could only compare to the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts.

Apolline chuckled at Hermione's shocked expression and gently pressed her hand into the middle of her back, urging her towards the house. **"** _Come Hermione. We will show you around better in the morning when the sun is out. Let us get some supper and then we will show you to your room._ **"** Hermione could only nod at her, still staring up at the large building as they passed through the front doors.

If she had thought the outside was grand, the inside of the mansion simply amazed her. It was so clean and spotless that Hermione was almost scared that she would dirty something up just by being there.

They walked through a long hallway and into what, Hermione thought, was a sitting room. Inside, an older man with short black hair and a matching goatee, sat in one of the chairs, nonchalantly reading a newspaper. It seemed that he had been waiting on them though because as soon as they entered the room, he put his newspaper down and jumped from his seat with a smile on his face. That was, at least, until he saw Hermione.

" _Um…hello?_ **"** the man began, looking at the Delacour women in confusion. Hermione just bowed her head in embarrassment and shame. Surely this man would not approve of her being in his home.

" _My love,_ **"** Apolline walked over to him and gestured back to Hermione, **"** _this is Hermione. She..._ **"** Before she could say anymore, young Gabrielle ran to the man ( _her father,_ Hermione concluded) and jumped into his arms. **"** _She is going to live with us Papa. And she promised to help me with my magic!_ **"** Gabrielle squealed at him, throwing her arms around his neck in excitement. Monsieur Delacour gained a horrified look on his face and Apolline groaned and covered her eyes with her hand. Hermione just stood there, looking at the family in shock and a little fear, not entirely sure what to do.

Luckily, Fleur came to her rescue by stomping her foot in anger, **"** _No she is not, Gabrielle!_ **"** Quickly glancing at Hermione and back at her family she continued, **"** _She is not going to teach you I mean. She is going to live with us…_ **"** here she trailed off and just looked at her father. Monsieur Delacour turned to his wife with a questioning look which she returned with a significant stare, but Hermione could not understand the meaning behind it. Sucking in a breath, he whirled to look at Fleur and Hermione, quickly glancing between the two before a broad smile appeared on his face.

" _It is a pleasure to meet you, Hermione._ **"** He continued to smile at her which Hermione returned hesitantly, **"** _My name is Damien. I am honored that you have decided to live with us._ **"**

" _Thank you, sir._ **"**

He waved his hand, **"** _None of that sir stuff, you understand?_ **"** Hermione nodded quickly and smiled, a little more at ease with the situation.

Régine suddenly clapped her hands together, scaring Hermione who had forgotten the woman was directly behind her, **"** _Very good. Let us get you settled than. Mipsy!_ **"** Hermione jumped as a small creature with large eyes and bat-like ears appeared in front of her.

" _Yes, Madame Régine?_ **"** the tiny creature squeaked.

" _This is Hermione._ **"** Hermione could do nothing but wave shyly at the small creature who looked up at her with a smile on its face. **"** _She is now a part of the family. Would you mind fixing up a room on the second floor for her?_ **"**

The creature, Mipsy, nodded its head vigorously, its ears flapping with every nod, **"** _Oh yes Madame, Mipsy can do this. Would Madame Régine also like Mipsy to draw a bath for Miss. Mia as well?_ **"**

" _Would you like to wash up before dinner, Hermione?_ **"** Hermione almost nodded her head as fast as Mispy had. The thought of a nice, warm bath sounded like heaven to her at the moment. At the confirmation, Mipsy took Hermione's backpack, snapped its fingers, and popped away.

Hermione turned to Régine, **"** _What was that?_ **"**

" _Mipsy is a house elf. They are little beings who love to be a part of a magical family and work for them._ **"** Hermione was still confused, wasn't that basically slavery? She asked this and Régine chuckled slightly, **"** _No, no, they are definitely not slaves. Think of them as tiny butlers and nannies who get paid in the excess magical energy Witches and Wizards give off._ **"** Still seeing her frown, Régine placed her hand on Hermione's shoulder, **"** _While you are taking your bath, talk to Mipsy if you are still curious. She loves to talk and will answer all of your questions._ **"**

Hermione nodded slightly and it was at that point that Mipsy popped back into the room. **"** _Mipsy drew the bath Madame! Miss. Mia's room is ready as well._ **"**

" _Thank you Mipsy. Would you mind escorting Hermione? She wants to talk to you about some things and I figure you would love to answer her questions._ **"**

Mipsy smiled broadly and grabbed Hermione's hand, dragging her out of the room. Hermione looked back at the Delacour's in confusion and scared at the thought of being alone with the strange creature, only to relax slightly as she saw the smile on Fleur's face. She smiled back slightly as the last thing she saw was Fleur wave at her before she disappeared around the corner.

-oOo-

After Hermione had left the room, Apolline turned to her smiling mate who was listening intently as Gabrielle told him all about their day and meeting Hermione. The man obviously had not a clue on what she was saying (the young Veela had a bit of a habit of talking very rapidly when excited) and was just nodding at the little girl.

" _My love, we have a problem._ **"** This immediately grabbed Damien's attention and he looked at her intently. Even Gabrielle quieted down, curious as to what was wrong.

" _Fleur believes Hermione has some sort of blocker on her. She said that their magic was unable to meet._ **"**

Fleur stepped forward and nodded. **"** _Anytime I touch her, or even get close to her, it seems as if I cause her pain. I do not know what to do, Papa._ **"**

Even Régine gasped at this, having been unaware of the situation the entire day. **"** _I had wondered why you were keeping your distance, Fleur._ **"** Damien immediately thought back to his Curse Breaking skills and approached this as he would a puzzle in a tomb. **"** _Tell me everything, Fleur. Even what the Veela said. I want the entire story, start to finish._ **"**

So Fleur did. She told her father about how enraptured Hermione had first been, presumably by the Thrall, but how she had screamed when they had touched. She also mentioned how Hermione always winced whenever she was near. The closer Fleur got, the more pain she seemed to be in. By the end of her story, Fleur was almost in tears, her Veela enraged and upset at the reminder of the day. Régine placed her hands on Fleur's shoulders in comfort and look towards Damien for answers.

Damien frowned slightly, tapping his finger to his chin in thought. All signs pointed towards something magical at work, but he thought a blocker was a bit much. Such an item had to be on the girl constantly and would be heavily enchanted. So much so, that anyone, even those not trained to look for such things, would notice the magic around the girl. Finally, Damien looked up at his daughter, noting her extreme worry for the poor girl upstairs. **"** _I am not sure if it is a blocker, such a thing would be hard to hide. I will have a look after dinner though, Hermione looked like she needed to eat._ **"**

Fleur frowned. The Veela grumbled at her, upset that nobody believed it, but Fleur tried to reassure it that their father would look after their mate. _The only thing we can do is wait._ Fleur told it, _At least we now know she is a witch. It will make explaining everything easier when the time comes._ **Hopefully Father can find what is causing her pain** , the Veela thought suddenly, **It would be nice if we could at least hold her hand while we talked**. Fleur could not help but agree.

Eventually, Tobi, another of the Delacour house elves, came to tell them that dinner would be ready shortly. Régine asked for him to go and inform Mipsy and Hermione for them. He popped away with a small bow and the Delacour's proceeded into the dining room to anxiously await the newest addition to the family.

Fleur was glad she was sitting down when Hermione entered the room because she felt her heart soar in wonderment as she took in the sight of her mate. Freshly washed, the young girl looked like a completely different person. Her brown hair, which Fleur could now see the faint red and light brown streaks in, fell down her shoulders in thick curls and Fleur could imagine running her hands through them, repeatedly. She had not truly realized how dirty the girl was because the smattering of freckles covering her cheekbones were now visible. She wanted to spend all day counting each dot. Hermione's eyes also looked brighter, she looked happier, Fleur noted. Her Veela purred in contentment and possessiveness, loving that the girl was finally there, safe in their home.

Fleur suddenly felt a sharp pain to her leg and hissed slightly under her breath. It was only when she looked at her very amused mother ( _She kicked me?!_ Fleur thought in anger) that Fleur realized she had been staring at the young girl. She groaned softly to herself and started chastising the Veela, who did not seem to care in the least, and looked towards Hermione. The poor girl definitely noticed her staring because she was a bright red and staring at her feet intently. Fleur groaned again and brought her hands up to her face (Apolline and Régine had begun to silently chuckle at her) not wanting to look at any of her family.

" _Please, come sit Hermione. No need to be shy._ **"** Apolline patted the chair beside her (and across from Fleur, who sunk lower into her own chair). Hermione smiled faintly at the family and sat in the chair, gasping in shock when the food appeared in front of her. _Just like Hogwarts,_ Hermione thought with glee and began to dig in as she saw the other family members do the same.

-oOo-

Dinner was a happy affair. Gabrielle spent most of the time telling Hermione all about her friends and how she had to meet them. Hermione could barely keep up with the blonde whirlwind, eventually deciding to nod along with the girl and hope to understand what she said later on. Apolline was gently talking to Damien about something, Hermione could not really pay attention to them for too long without Gabrielle noticing. Fleur, Hermione noticed with a mixture of embarrassment and amusement, had not looked up from her food since it had appeared. She had no idea what caused Fleur's open mouth reaction to her when she entered the room, but she had felt her magic surge because of it. That in itself was confusing, but Hermione ignored it, deciding not to worry too much. Finally, Régine sat at the head of the table, overlooking her family with a smile on her face. Hermione could sense the happiness coming off of the older woman and liked to think that it was because she had agreed to come home with them.

After dinner (Hermione could not remember the last time she had such a delicious meal), Fleur and Régine gave her a brief tour of the ground floor of the house. Each room was amazing and Hermione could not believe that she lived there now. Eventually, they came upon the one room that she wanted to see more than anything; the library.

Hermione's mouth dropped open in wonderment. The library was huge, almost as large as Hogwarts'! Rows upon rows of bookshelves filled the room. In the back, she could just make out a mixture of couches and chairs surrounding a fireplace. Fleur, who had overcome her embarrassment from dinner, walked up to Hermione and stood as close as she dared. **"** _I take it that you like books?_ **"**

Hermione jumped in shock, being so engrossed in raking the library with her eyes that she hadn't even noticed her. "Oh yes! I haven't been in a library in ages. I used to basically live in the library…back at…Hogwarts…" Hermione trailed off, almost embarrassed that she had been so excited (about a library of all things) that she had spoken in rapid English. She ducked her head and smiled bashfully at the other girl. Fleur, however, did not look offended, just shocked at the sudden language change and highly amused. "It is alright 'ermione. I am just so 'appy to see you 'appy." As if realizing what she had said, Fleur blushed a bright red and walked quickly towards the sitting area, where Hermione could see the rest of the Delacour family.

Régine chuckled at the teenagers and motioned for Hermione to follow. Together, they made their way to the sitting area and joined the rest of the Delacour's on the couches. Apolline looked at Hermione as she sat down, having previously been chuckling at an, once again, embarrassed Fleur. **"** _So Hermione? What do you think?_ **"**

" _The house is beautiful Madame Delecour! Er…sorry, Apolline. I cannot thank you,_ _ **"**_ Hermione looked around at the family, _ **"**_ _any of you, enough for letting me stay here. I do not know how I can ever repay you._ **"**

" _Actually Hermione,_ **"** Damien started, seeing that this was as good a time as any, **"** _there is something you could help me with._ **"**

Seeing that he had Hermione's full attention, he took a deep breath, **"** _Fleur told me about how you two met and I was curious about something. She said that she seemed to cause you a severe pain when she tried to help you up. You must have done a really good job at hiding it because Eagle Eye here,_ **"** he pointed at Régine, who bristled at the name, **"** _who usually sees everything, did not notice anything wrong. Apolline also said that there was an occurrence while you all were in a shop._ **"**

Damien leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. Hermione had been shocked that this had even come up, the incidents that he mentioned had left her mind almost immediately after they happened. Surely they had not been so bad to be worth mentioning. **"** _I was hoping that you would allow me to take a look at your wrist. I do not like the idea of you being in any sort of pain and I wanted to see if there was something wrong._ **"**

Hermione swallowed thickly, nervous for some reason as she stared at the man. She noticed briefly that the rest of the Delacour's were almost at the edge of their seats which did nothing to help her nerves. Eventually, Hermione nodded, not seeing the harm in the small request, **"** _I guess you can take a look._ **"** But this did not gain the reaction she had thought.

Damien frowned at her and turned to share a look with his wife before turning back to Hermione, **"** _Are you sure? I would really like to make sure there is nothing wrong._ **"** Now it was Hermione's turn to frown, hadn't she just said that he could look at it? _Maybe I said it wrong,_ Hermione thought. **"** _I am sorry sir, did I say something wrong?_ **"**

" _Why would you think that, Hermione?_ **"**

" _Because I said you could and you acted like I said you could not._ **"**

Damien and the rest of the Delacour's looked at her in confusion. So much so that Hermione was slowly starting to freak out a little. The man narrowed his eyes at her and frowned before suddenly thrusting his hand out towards her, **"** _Give me your wrist, Hermione._ **"**

She was slightly afraid at the sudden change in the, previously, very nice, soft-spoken man. His tone of voice demanded respect and swift compliance to his request. However, Hermione soon found out that following his demand was easier said than done. It was like her arm wasn't part of her body anymore. No amount of willpower would get it to budge from its spot from the armrest on the chair. Slowly beginning to panic, Hermione looked at Damien with tears in her eyes, trying to tell the man without words that she couldn't move. Not seeing any change in his demeanor, Hermione bowed her head and let the tears fall, afraid that this small request would change the family's minds about her staying with them.

Seeing movement out of the corner of her eye, Hermione glanced up and saw Fleur kneeling beside her, worry etched in her face. Something inside her wanted to reach out and hug Fleur so bad, but the burning sensation kept her at bay. This caused her to sob harder, Hermione becoming even more upset as her mind and body kept telling her to do two different things at once.

" _Shh little one. It is alright._ **"** A hand rested itself on her head and Hermione leaned into the body on her left, recognizing Régine's soothing presence. **"** _We just want to help you that is all._ **"**

Hermione nodded her understanding, jumping when she felt somebody touch her right hand. Quickly glancing towards the person, Hermione was slightly scared to see Damien there, but relaxed a little at his smile.

" _It is alright Hermione. I think I understand what is going on. Tell me,_ **"** Damien picked up her wrist and began to inspect it as he talked, **"** _have you ever heard of the Notice-Me-Not Charm?_ **"** Hermione shook her head, becoming slightly scared as he pulled out his wand. She began to pull away from him, but Régine fully sat down on the other arm rest and put her arm around her, holding her in place and trying to comfort her.

Looking up briefly at his mother-in-law, Damien started making motions with his wand over her wrist, **"** _It is a very interesting charm. It can be combined with other charms and spells to create some very interesting effects. Do you know what my job is?_ **"**

Hermione stumbled slightly on the abrupt subject change, "You're an…uh…an archeologist?"

Damien glanced up at her amused, "You're English?" Her eyes widened when he spoke in a perfect British accent. Seeing her shyly nod, Damien gave a toothy grin, "That's brilliant! I thought I'd be by myself with these French birds forever. But to answer you, sort of. An archeologist would be my job title if I were a Muggle. Actually," he pulled back and tapped his finger to his chin in thought, "I'm more like a Tomb Raider than anything else. But, to the Wizarding World, however, I'm called a Curse Breaker. Do you know what that is?" Hermione shook her head, completely engrossed in the conversation and forgetting about being upset and scared, the scholarly side of her taking complete control.

Damien turned back to her wrist, slowly turning her hand and resumed waving his wand, "A Curse Breaker is hired by someone to go into an ancient tomb or vault to recover an item. Most of the times, the items are not only cursed or hidden, but also booby trapped. Our job is to detect the spells surrounding the object, disable any traps we find, and break the curse. Hence the name, Curse Breaker. Now," he turned her wrist back over, frowning slightly, "The Notice-Me-Not Charm is a particularly favorite charm to use if you are wanting to hide an object. Do you know why that is?"

"It…uh…causes the object to be hidden?"

"Correct! Five points to Ravenclaw!" Hermione giggled slightly at this and shook her head. "No? What house were you in?"

"Gryffindor."

"That makes a lot of sense now that I think about it. I was a 'Claw myself. Anyways, that's right. Pretty obvious given the name." he winked at her here. "But when that spell is combined with a Tongue-Tying Curse, have you ever heard of it?" Hermione nodded her head, remembering Harry talk about that curse from his visit in Diagon Alley, "Good, then I don't have to explain it. Anyways, when the two are combined, it not only hides the object, but also causes the person it is affecting to try and deflect others from investigating it. Let me guess. Earlier, you agreed to let me look at your wrist, right?" Hermione's eyes widened, slowly starting to understand what had happened.

"I'll take your silence as confirmation. Anyways, what we heard was you telling me no, I could not. I finally figured it… ah, there we go!" With a shout of triumph, Damien put the tip of his wand against Hermione's skin and a loud bang was heard. When Hermione opened her eyes back up (she had flinched from the noise) she stared at her wrist in shock. Around it appeared to be a thick metal band of some sort. Looking closely, Hermione could see a bunch of markings etched into the metal and it seemed to have a sheen to it as the light caught it when she turned her wrist around.

Hearing a startled gasp, Hermione turned her attention back to the family to see Apolline looking at her in horror. Before she had a chance to think she had done something wrong, the older witch rushed to her and slowly moved the metal band away from its previous position. What was underneath made Hermione's stomach churn. _Apparently that burning feeling I had was me literally being burnt,_ she thought with a grimace. Around her wrist was a thick band of red and white skin, the edges already black and starting to peel away. Strangely, the wound did not hurt. Hermione would not even know she had a wound if she wasn't looking at it.

" _I am so sorry Hermione._ **"** Fleur gasped, tears streaming down her face, **"** _This is all my fault. I did not realize I was causing you so much pain._ **"**

" _Shush Fleur,_ **"** Damien turned to his distressed daughter, pulling her into a tight hug, **"** _This damage was not all done today. However, my girl,_ **"** Hermione watched as Damien pulled back and looked Fleur deep in the eye, as if he was searching for something, **"** _you were right._ **"**

Fleur seemed to be confused for a moment, trying to understand what her father was telling her, when her eyes widened. Hermione was just confused about the entire thing, "What was she right about?"

Turning away from his daughter, Damien frowned at her. "This band is a type of magical item known as a blocker. Blockers can have a multitude of different enchantments placed on them, but their main reason is to block a person's magic to some degree. With the amount of enchantments on it, I am surprised you can do magic at all. If I had to guess, your magic has slowly been wearing it down ever since it was placed on you. Have you felt a burning sensation, maybe even a tingle or an ache, anytime you did magic or felt an extreme emotion? Your magic maybe not even working at all when you first tried?" Hermione nodded, bewildered that this item was even on her person in the first place. "That was because your magic encountered the Blocker and had to force its way through. Now, if you will let me see it, I'll try and remove the charms so it can be taken off."

Damien once again took her wrist, slowly tracing the markings with his wand. As he traced them, they would either fade away or glow. Hermione noticed that the ones that glowed remained on the band until he retraced it after having gotten rid of a few more of the symbols. With each mark removed, Hermione felt lighter, freer almost. It was like weights, that she hadn't even known were present, were being lifted from her shoulders. Of course, this feeling did not stop her curiosity, "Is it like picking a lock?"

Damien looked at her in surprise and chuckled, "I suppose you can relate the two. With a lock, you have to move the tumblers in a certain order and here you have to remove certain spells. I would more relate it to a pile of sticks and you have to pick up the one on top first before picking the next and so on."

Suddenly, he frowned down at the band and began to make different movements with his wand, muttering spells the entire time. Hermione could sense his growing distress and became scared herself. Without warning, Damien stood and turned to Apolline, **"** _I want you to take Gabrielle and Fleur and leave the room. Now!_ **"** Apolline stared at her husband in bewilderment before complying with his demand. Fleur, however, refused. **"** _I am not leaving, Father. You cannot make me._ **"** Hermione watched as father and daughter glared at each other before he finally sighed and nodded. Hermione was slowly becoming frightened, wondering what Damien had seen on the band to make him react this way.

After Apolline and Gabrielle had left, and Damien had made Fleur take a few steps back, he turned back to Hermione, a strange look upon his face that she could not recognize. "Hermione," he seemed to hesitate for a moment, "there is one last spell that I need to remove before the band can come off. However," he paused again, looking at Régine briefly (who was as confused as Hermione at this point) for guidance or moral support, Hermione could not tell, "the spell that's on there is very powerful and, by my guess, is the main reason this blocker was placed on you in the first place."

Hermione swallowed audibly, nervously licking her lips, "Wh-what's the spell?"

"It's a Binding spell." Hermione's eyes widened, staring at Damien who grimaced slightly, "Specifically, it is a Form Binding spell, like the ones Aurors' use on known Animagi so they cannot shift into their animal forms. The magical level of this spell is stronger than what I have ever seen before, meaning," he glanced up at his mother-in-law once again, "when I remove the spell and the band falls off, you will probably shift into, whatever you are, immediately."

"Th-that's im-impossible sir!" Hermione stuttered, tears filling her eyes as she stared up at the very serious ( _and probably very dangerous_ , Hermione thought with a shudder) wizard. "I'm just a Muggleborn! I don…I-I don't understand. There is no way I can have some…other form."

"I was afraid you were going to say that." Damien rubbed his forehead before sliding his fingers through his hair in frustration, "That makes this situation ten times worse than what it already is. I'm hoping that when I take the band off, you will be able to remember something from before it was put on and we can find out who did this to you."

"You can't just leave it on?"

"No, I can't." he vigorously shook his head, "Eventually, your magic, and I'm now guessing, magical self, will burn through the enchantments, as they have been trying to do since they were first placed. Faster, actually, now that I have gotten rid of all of them but the main one. When that happens, the backlash would be very damaging, more than likely seriously harming you and anyone who happens to be close to you at the time."

Hermione burst into tears, confused and frightened by the magical object on her wrist and at the possibility of not even knowing who she really was. Suddenly, she felt her magic leap to the band and it started to burn again. This time though, she watched in horror as the last symbol glowed to an almost bright white which caused the surrounding metal to heat up as well.

Régine quickly said something in a language that Hermione did not understand. Glancing up at the woman in confusion, she saw her glaring beyond her. Hermione quickly turned and saw Fleur with her fists clenched tightly at her sides. What was curious though, was that Fleur's eyes seemed to be almost black and ( _Are those feathers?!_ Hermione thought in bewilderment). **"** _If you cannot control yourself Fleur, you must leave._ **"** Damien ordered his daughter. Fleur just shook her head, tears in her eyes, and stared strongly at Hermione. For some reason, this calmed Hermione down. It was as if Fleur was telling her that everything was going to be alright.

"It will be alright 'ermione," Régine pulled her into a tight hug, "No matter what 'appens, you are our family now. Nozing will ever change zat, understand?" Hermione nodded after a moment of hesitation and turned to Damien once more, "Ok sir. You can take it off now."

Nodding in agreement, he quickly kneeled in front of Hermione once more before taking her wrist. "Just know, that we're here for you, no matter what." With that, he began to wave his wand once again, muttering spells that Hermione could not even begin to guess as to what they did. Eventually he traced the last symbol and it disappeared. When it was completely gone, the band made a sort of clicking noise and fell off, hitting the floor with a dull thud. At the same time, Hermione felt something deep inside of her click open as well.

-oOo-

( **AN:** Gonna be honest, thought of ending it here, but didn't want to leave you guys with another large cliffhanger.)

Ever since her father had forced her mother and sister out of the room, the Veela had been right under Fleur's skin, waiting to come out. It knew that something big was going to happen and it wanted to protect its mate. Fleur had to constantly reassure it that their father was not going to harm Hermione in any way, especially with their grandmother there.

When her father discovered and explained his theory about the Binding spell, the Veela nearly took complete control. It was excited that Hermione was even more magical than they had thought. **Our mate is powerful** , it whispered to her, **she is perfect!** While Fleur agreed, and the Veela rejoiced when she did, she had to keep beating it down, reminding it that Hermione had no idea about her magical self. When Hermione burst into tears, Fleur had felt the Veela's horror. It finally realized that they were still causing their mate pain when they saw the magical band heat up. It was properly chastised, not only by Fleur, but also by the older and stronger Alpha in the room.

After what seemed like forever, the magical band finally clicked open and fell to the floor. Unfortunately, Fleur did not have a chance to move towards Hermione to test if she could finally get close. As soon as the band dropped, Fleur saw Hermione's pupils expand. The girl sucked in a deep breath and slammed herself back into the seat so hard it tipped back and toppled over. Régine, who had been sitting on the arm of the chair holding onto Hermione, leapt away before she was knocked over too and stood beside Damien, her wand springing into her hand as well.

Fleur felt the Veela still as they felt the very atmosphere in the room change. Before, it was familiar, it was safe. Now though, the air felt wild and dangerous. She knew her grandmother could sense it too as she recognized the Veela underneath the older woman's skin, ready to come out and defend her family if need be. What was even more alarming was the connection she had to Hermione had changed. Fleur had always been able to sense what Hermione had been feeling to some degree. When they met and the longer they stayed together, Fleur had been able to sense more of the girl's feelings and was able to actually name the emotions coming from her. Now though, the feelings she was sensing were _intense_ , for lack of a better word. The emotions rolling off of the girl were so strong that they took Fleur's breath away. She couldn't help but think that the band had dampened them somewhat. What caused Fleur to step forward, despite her father and grandmother's silent demands to stay back, was the full-fledged _terror_ she now felt radiating from Hermione.

As she rounded the group of chairs, Fleur gasped as she took in the sight of what her mate had become. Crouched low to the ground, head down low, ears laid flat, and mouth wide open was a very large feline. Despite hearing the low growl, which grew louder when it saw Fleur approach, she did not feel any fear. In fact, her Veela was proud, excited even, as they took in the beautiful and powerful creature Hermione had turned into. Her fur was still the deep reddish-brown color her hair had been. Her eyes, what little Fleur could see due to the dilated pupils, were a brighter amber color than they were originally. Fleur took in the powerful legs and large paws, which she just knew held very sharp, very deadly claws. She could not tell how tall the creature was, but she was definitely longer than she had first thought. From nose to tail (if one could call such a stubby thing a tail), the feline had to be nearly six feet long. The only thing that caused Fleur to hesitate from going up to the creature, the low growling meaning nothing to her as she knew Hermione's true feelings, were the two very long, very sharp canine teeth on full display.

-xXx-

 **AN:** Final bit of business before your done with this chapter…I have a question for you guys. I'm just gonna go ahead and admit that I've written ahead of what I'm posting and I find myself able to do this story two ways (they both end the same so don't worry). Hermione is a Second year and I can write in detail her Second and Third years at Beauxbatons, but that would make this story ridiculously long. I can also do a time jump and get to the real story that we are (or at least I know I am) looking forward to immensely *cough cough* Triwizard Tournament *cough cough*. However, I figured I would let you guys decide because I would enjoy doing either. So, do you want a long story that includes a lot of details about our girls' lives? Or would you like the story to just get into the good stuff? I mean, heck, if you can't decide between the two, I could even write a few one-shots about the adventures they get into during these two years (and I have a few), but that probably wouldn't happen until the fic is finished.

Anyways, you guys decide and either pm me or leave your opinion in the reviews. I'd appreciate it.

 **Thanks for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

 **AN:** Hey guys. So this is probably going to be the last chapter I post before the holidays. I'm going to be running in between houses for a week and I won't be near my computer. However, I would like to thank everyone for their input. Some of you made suggestions that I hadn't even thought of (Thank you Sinclair for mentioning the Quidditch World Cup, I completely forgot about it). I'm still not entirely sure what I will do, but I am taking everyone's input into consideration. I was very surprised that most of you wanted a very detailed Second and Third Year, though.

Hey chaosrin! I actually thought about making Hermione a kitsune, but decided against it on the account that she always struck me as a cat. She seems more curious than clever so I chose cat over fox. Sorry you feel like it was a missed opportunity though.

Also, JohnyS, I really haven't decided how powerful she will be. Yea, I could give her some magical resistance, but I don't know yet. Even if I don't, I still think a giant cat with two sharp fangs charging at you will cause most wizards to piss their pants and forget every spell they ever learned. And if you think about it, really any creature can be brought down with a silent spell. I guess my question for you is, what makes a werewolf so dangerous? I don't mean to sound defensive, but I am curious as to your thought process on the matter. PM me and we can discuss creatures and spells forever until we run out of subject matter XD

And finally, to everyone who keeps bringing up Harry and Ron. They are going to meet back up (not until around Ch. 12 or 13 though, depending on how detailed I want to make the two years) so, just wait ok? I also love how I get different hopes from people. "I hope there is going to be some good fashioned bashing in this story" and "I hope you don't bash everyone beyond ordinary or make Dumbledore an asshole" are probably some of my favorites. I'm sorry to say, but there are some characters in HP that I just can't stand, so yea, there's gonna be some bashing. Sorry, not sorry.

 **Disclaimer:** Err...I still don't own the characters, but I think it's safe to say that the plot is mine.

-xXx-

Fleur stared at the growling feline in front of her, unsure how to proceed. On the one hand, the Veela almost demanded her to go to their mate. It sensed Hermione's mounting terror and wanted to comfort her anyway possible. On the other hand, Fleur hesitated to get anywhere near those long canine teeth. Having never seen them on a cat before, and therefore not knowing _exactly_ what Hermione was, Fleur had no idea if they were merely sharp or if they were poisonous as well. She really hoped they were not poisonous.

" _What is she?_ **"** Régine asked, slowly moving to stand behind Fleur. Upon seeing the movement, Hermione let loose a deep roar that sent shivers down everyone's spines. The message was very clear, 'Stay Back'.

Fleur shook her head, unsure of how to answer her grandmother. Damien let loose a low whistle upon seeing the feline, **"** _I do not know what magical being she is, but that is a Saber Tooth._ **"** Régine quickly glanced at her son-in-law in confusion, not being familiar with the species. **"** _They are a prehistoric type of cat._ **"** He clarified, **"** _Muggles believe that they lived millions of years ago, eventually going extinct._ **"** He gestured toward Hermione, **"** _Obviously, they did not though._ **"**

" _Are they poisonous?_ **"** Fleur asked quickly.

"… _No…?_ **"** Damien stated slowly, glancing at his daughter in confusion, unsure of the random question she asked.

Fleur almost blushed in response, **"** _The teeth. I have never seen teeth like that on a cat before. I was worried they held some sort of venom or something._ **"**

" _Oh…no. To my knowledge, they are not venomous. Just, very, very sharp._ **"**

Nodding her head, Fleur took a slow step towards the feline. The response she got was immediate. Both Régine and Damien lunged to grab her, each grabbing hold of an arm and hauling her back. Hermione quickly jumped back, hitting into a bookshelf and knocking a few books off. The big cat let out a loud roar and growled deeply again, baring her teeth at the occupants of the room. The cat seemed to grow in size as the fur at the ruff of her neck and back stood on end. The two older Delacour's were worried the cat would attack next time given that her back was against a wall, so to speak.

" _I know she is your mate Fleur,_ **"** Régine hissed at her, feathers starting to appear around her hairline indicating her agitation and worry, **"** _but right now she is not thinking! The cat is in control!_ **"**

Fleur shook them both off of her, **"** _No! That is still Hermione. Her and the cat are one in the same! We cannot sense a split like we can with Veela. Trust us, Alpha._ **"** Fleur looked towards her grandmother, desperately trying to relay that she knew what she was doing. **"** _Please._ **"**

Régine looked at Fleur, trying to understand what was being told to her, before eventually nodding. "Get your wand ready, Damien. If she attacks, we will 'ave to subdue 'er." Damien nodded in response, his wand having already been in his hand. **"** _It will not come to that Grandmaman, trust me._ **"** Fleur took a deep breath and turned around to face the cat.

Having never done this before ( _at least, never on purpose,_ Fleur thought with a wince), she had to rely on the Veela and its instincts on what to do. Fleur slowly approached, crouching down in hopes of looking like less of a threat. With every step she took, Hermione pressed further into the bookcase, which looked close to being toppled over by the large cat. Finally, after the Veela felt that they had gotten close enough, Fleur began to speak, **"** _It is alright Hermione. You know me, yes? You know I will not hurt you._ **"** As she spoke, Fleur felt Thrall fill the air. Trusting her instincts to guide her, Fleur directed the pheromones towards Hermione, knowing instinctively when they were in her vicinity.

The response was immediate. Hermione's fur seemed to flatten back down and the constant growling died a little. **"** _That is good Hermione. Remember the day we had? We had fun, yes?_ **"** Fleur kept talking, staring in wonderment as the cat slowly calmed down. Finally, the Veela got the response it had been waiting for. The big cat laid down, her mouth closed and ears forward, and stared intently at Fleur. Smiling, Fleur kneeled fully on the floor, sat back on her legs, and held her hand out to the cat, **"** _Come here._ **"** The cat cocked her head before standing up and padding over to her.

Fleur was glad for her Veela's constant, reassuring presence as the cat approached her. She knew if she had been standing, the cat's nose would have been almost level with her chest. As it was now, Fleur had to look up slightly to look in her eyes, which she could now fully see the bright amber she recognized. Fleur let the Veela take control for a few moments, it releasing a little more Thrall as Hermione came to a stop a few inches away from her outstretched hand. They stared off once more, just as they had done when they ran into each other at the beach, until Fleur raised her eyebrow at the cat and smirked.

Hermione let out a sort of chuffing sound and bumped her head into Fleur's hand. Immediately, Fleur felt their magic meet, as it should have done back at the beach. Sighing in relief, she let her hand rest on the cat's massive head, her hand being able to set fully between her eyes. The big cat rubbed her head against her hand for a bit before stepping closer and bumping against her chest. Taking care not to touch her fangs, Fleur leaned down and wrapped her arms around the cat's neck, who crooned in response and rubbed her head against hers. She buried her face into the thick fur around Hermione's neck and felt the Veela begin to purr, happy that they had finally begun to bond with their mate.

Fleur felt a hand rest on her head and she looked up into her grandmother's smiling face. Returning the smile, she watched as her father quietly walked past them and opened the door of the library where she saw her mother had been standing. As Apolline and Damien approached them, the big cat pulled away slightly and began to rub her head against Fleur again, humming and groaning the entire time. Fleur could only smile at her shocked mother as she pet the saber tooth.

" _See if you can get her to change back to human form, Fleur._ **"** Régine said, **"** _And reign the Thrall back in. Apolline still needs to heal her and we have to see what she remembers._ **"**

Fleur pulled away from the big cat to try and look in her eyes, though this was harder than it seemed as Hermione kept crooning and humming, trying to get closer. She felt the Veela lessen the Thrall a bit and, after grasping her head and lifting, was finally able to look the squirming cat in the eyes. **"** _Hermione, I need you to change back to human now. Maman still needs to look at your burn, my dear._ **"** The cat groaned at her and Fleur rolled her eyes, **"** _I do not speak cat, my love. Please change back so we can talk._ **"** The only response she got was another groan and the feline burying her nose into her neck. With a sigh of frustration, and a little amusement from the Veela, Fleur was about to try again when she blinked and Hermione was hugging her in human form, her face still pressing tightly into the side of Fleur's neck.

Fleur reigned the Thrall fully in and hugged the girl back, waiting for the effects to wear off. She knew when it happened because Hermione froze for a moment before jumping away from her, her face a bright red. "I-I'm so sorry Fleur. I-I don't know what came over me."

"It is alright 'ermione. 'ow are you feeling?"

Hermione rubbed her forehead, her eyes squinting shut, "I feel as if I just woke up from a dream. Like everything is so clear now."

"I wouldn't be surprised if there had been some sort of memory charm that I had missed." Damien said as he came to stand behind the still kneeling Fleur. "What is the last thing you remember clearly? Do you know who put the Blocker on you?"

Hermione looked up at him before turning to Apolline, watching as she gently lifted her wrist and begin to wave her wand, muttering healing charms. "I don't really know, sir. It was a long time ago. The first memory I can remember having with the Granger's was when I was five or six."

"I'm sorry, but the Granger's?"

"Oh, they were my…" Hermione trailed off, looking at the ground trying to hide the tears in her eyes. Fleur, though, could feel her sudden sadness and anger. The Veela demanded that she do something so she moved across the floor to sit beside the distraught girl, grabbed ahold of her hand, and squeezed it in support. Hermione looked up at her and gave a small, watery smile, slightly returning the hand squeeze.

"Don't worry about it Hermione. Not tonight at least." Damien said, understanding that they were a sensitive subject, "We'll talk about it when you are ready and not before."

"What you need is a good night's sleep." Apolline smiled at her, "I was able to 'eal the worst of it, but zee damage zat was done before today 'as already 'ealed on its own. I can place a potioned bandage on it to try and reduce zee scarring, but I am afraid zat I cannot get rid of it all."

Hermione nodded at the woman, already feeling herself begin to get drowsy from the long day she had. Apolline summoned a bandage and a potion vial, quickly applying the two. After she was done, she stood and looked down at the two teenagers. **"** _Fleur, go show Hermione to her room, please. She looks as if she is going to fall asleep at any moment._ **"** Fleur nodded and helped Hermione stand up, never releasing her hand. **"** _Hermione,_ **"** Apolline waited until she had the girl's attention, **"** _tomorrow we will go shopping before we go to Beauxbatons to get you enrolled. I am sure Madame Maxime, the headmistress, will allow you to settle for a few days before you start classes. Is this ok?_ **"**

Hermione nodded quickly before letting go of Fleur's hand and shyly walked up to Apolline. Looking at the older woman, she rushed in and gave her a quick hug, which Apolline returned with a smile. **"** _Thank you, Apolline. Thank you so much._ **"** Releasing her, Hermione turned to Damien and Régine, quickly repeating the gesture.

" _Go get some sleep Hermione. We will talk more in the morning._ **"** Régine said, brushing the girl's curly hair back from her face. With a smile and a nod, Hermione returned to Fleur's side and together they walked out of the room.

-oOo-

Despite being exhausted, Hermione found herself unable to sleep. After Fleur had dropped her off at her new room, she had released her hand ( _which she held the entire way,_ Hermione though with a blush) and walked a short ways down the hall, giving her one last smile before entering another room. Hermione felt like following the older girl, not wanting to be parted from her too soon, before she shook her head, trying to rid herself of the weird thought. She had quickly entered her new room, changed into the borrowed clothes she had been given, and jumped into bed before staring up at the unfamiliar ceiling, trying to will herself to go to sleep.

Her mind was too active though, it still reeling over the life changing day she had. Hermione found it hard to believe that only that morning she had been sleeping under a pier, stealing food from stores and tourists, and unsure what the next day would bring. Now though, now Hermione had a bed, a room she could call her own, a family who accepted her ( _despite my fur,_ Hermione smiled to herself), and another chance at the Magical World.

Speaking of her furry self, Hermione shifted restlessly on the bed, feeling as if her very skin was too uncomfortable to be in anymore. It felt as if she had stayed in the same clothes for too long. Of course, considering the fact that she had been locked in a single form for so long, she wasn't too surprised. She turned over onto her stomach, trying to get comfortable, and looked down to see paws. The irritating feeling had left her and she felt more relaxed so she rested her head on them, closed her eyes and tried to sleep.

At least she wanted to, but her mind would not stop replaying her memories. Hermione had not been lying to Damien when she said that it felt as if she had woken from a dream. All of her memories with the Granger's had a clouded quality to them, as if they had not happened and she had only imagined them. Some memories were clear, her trip to Diagon Alley by herself, Harry and Ron saving her from the mountain troll, the desperate journey to save the Philosopher's Stone from Quirrell. Those memories were clear, Hermione could bring them to mind and relive them, but the rest, the rest had a sort of haze over them.

Hermione let out a huff of air in frustration. Despite what she had led the Delacour's to believe, she remembered what had happened before the Granger's, very clearly. _It must be because of the memory charm,_ she thought. To her these events, that must have happened nearly seven or eight years ago, seemed like they had just happened a few days ago. She could remember being locked in a cage, huddling terrified next to her mother (Hermione felt a sad groan form in the back of her throat as she thought of her dam). She did not remember how they had been captured, just that one moment she was following behind the bigger cat and the next they were in a cage. Hermione remembered being in there for a long time before a human came over and grabbed her. Her dam had tried to keep her safe, swiping and roaring in rage, but she had been easily overpowered. The human had said something, she couldn't remember exactly, and then there was a flash of light and then the Granger's. The human ( _Man_ , she thought) seemed familiar to her, but she just couldn't place him.

Hermione closed her eyes, trying to relive further than those terrifying last moments with her mother. Unfortunately, this was harder to do as she had only been a young cub at the time. Even so, she was able to remember a large forest, the call of birds every morning, the presence of other felines around her. She faintly remembered the lessons that she had just been learning; how to hunt, how to blend in with the forest around her, and of course, how to follow her instincts. The little details, the most important details, escaped her though. She had no idea what type of being she was ( _Too human to be cat and too cat to be human,_ she thought with despair). She could not remember the language they spoke, where exactly her kind lived, or if she had a different name other than 'Hermione'. She had no idea if she had any friends or other family, any siblings that she could go find. She could not even recall her mother's face, neither the woman's nor the cat's.

The saber tooth groaned slightly and rubbed a paw over her head. Hermione knew that she shouldn't dwell on things, but the ache she had for her mother did not go away. She felt a call for the missing elder rise in her chest, but quickly swallowed it, knowing that it would only alert her new pack.

Speaking of her new pack, Hermione's ears suddenly twitched back, detecting a rustling noise in a nearby room. She knew it was not any of the adults, she hadn't heard them come up the stairs yet. Getting up slowly and jumping down from the bed, she padded over to the door, nudging it open as quietly as she could. The rustling noise sounded again and Hermione stalked down the hallway, being as quiet as she could to not alert whoever was making the noise of her presence. She stopped in front of a door and listened intently, hearing the rustling noise and a sigh come from inside the room. Hermione took in a breath, trying to see if she could detect anything that would help her identify what was making the noise, when she stilled suddenly, her heart pounding in her chest as she recognized the scent radiating from the room. _Fleur._

The older girl had confused her all day, even more so once Damien had taken the band off and she had begun to think clearly with her remembered instincts. From the moment they had first touched at the beach and the intense burning began, Hermione knew there was something about her. The way Fleur kept looking at her, as if she couldn't believe Hermione was actually there, had been alarming when it had happened, but now made Hermione feel warm inside. That, in and of itself, was confusing. Her instincts also told her that Fleur was to be fully trusted, that the girl was special in some way. Of course, the dual presence Hermione sensed within not only Fleur, but Apolline and Régine as well, also indicated their uniqueness. She was unsure if Gabrielle also had this second presence, seeing as she hadn't seen the young girl since before the band was taken off, but she was almost positive that she did.

And then, once the band was off and Hermione had to relive all of her returned memories, of being torn away from her mother and being terrified of the man that had done it, Fleur had done…something. Something that had made the golden glow she remembered from the beach return and everything Fleur had said drew her in, calmed her down, and reassured her that everything was going to be okay. When she had demanded that Hermione go to her, it was like she wasn't in control of her body anymore. And the feeling she had gotten when Fleur's hand touched her head still made Hermione hum in delight. Her magic had leapt forward and encountered something warm and bright ( _Fleur's magic_ , Hermione instinctively knew). It was from that point on that she knew the older girl was somehow important to her, she just didn't know how exactly. Of course, she had been embarrassed when the golden glow had left Fleur and she was able to think clearly again, but that was more due to the position she found herself in, not how she felt towards the girl.

Knowing that the older girl was in the room and causing the noise, Hermione turned to head back to her room. Before she was able to do that, the rustling returned, this time longer and louder, and before Hermione could fully retreat, the door opened. Hermione looked up at Fleur in shock, amazed that she had heard her standing outside. The older girl just raised her eyebrow in amusement at the big cat she found, **"** _Hello. Would you like to come in?_ **"** Fleur stood to the side and gestured into her room, smiling as Hermione moved past her to stand in the center.

Hermione shifted out of her fur and rubbed the back of her neck, her face pink with embarrassment. **"** _I am sorry, Fleur. I did not mean to wake you up._ **"**

" _It is alright. I could not sleep anyways._ **"**

" _Me neither._ **"**

Hermione stared at Fleur, unsure of what to say and feeling the prolonged silence become awkward. Just as she was about to make her excuses to go back to her room, Fleur spoke up, **"** _What is your favorite color?_ **"**

Hermione shook her head and stared at Fleur in confusion, wondering where the random question had come from. "Er…what?"

Fleur just shrugged her shoulders in response, **"** _I have wanted to talk to you and get to know you all day, but I could not due to the Blocker hurting you anytime I was near. I figured that since we are both awake, why not talk now until we become tired._ **"**

Smiling bashfully at the blonde, Hermione nodded. **"** _Alright. It is blue. What is yours?_ **"**

-oOo-

With that, both girls sat down on opposite ends of Fleur's bed, discovering each other's likes and dislikes. They learned what each other's favorite foods, books, hobbies, and other manner of activities were. They learned when the other's birthday was (Fleur wished Hermione a belated thirteenth birthday and promised to get her a gift while Hermione vowed to herself that she would get Fleur something special for her fifteenth on the 17th of October). When they ran out of those types of questions, they moved to tell each other stories of when they were younger and how they grew up.

Fleur told Hermione that she and the females of her family were members of a magical race called Veela. She explained that the Veela was a separate entity (which Hermione told her that she could sense it) and that it would often speak to her about certain matters. She told her that she could allow the Veela to be free and it would transform her into a Harpy looking creature (Fleur promised Hermione that she would show her one day). Fleur also explained that her grandmother, Régine, was the current Alpha of the Delacour clan and that she would take over when she was old enough ( **"** _Why are you to be the next Alpha? Should it not go to your mother?_ **"** Hermione asked. Fleur just shrugged. **"** _I am not old enough yet to know why. I just know that is how it will be._ **"** ).

In return, Hermione tearfully explained what all the Granger's had done to her. How they had shunned her for being magical in the first place and that they had moved away while she was still at Hogwarts, leaving nothing behind for Hermione to find them. She broke down when she told of her grandmother's passing and how she had not even been informed. Fleur had moved then to sit beside the distraught girl, pulling her into a hug and whispering that everything was going to be okay, that Hermione had a family now that would love and support her. Fleur did not mention how enraged the Veela had become, demanding that they hunt these 'Granger's' down and destroy them. Hermione did not mention how she sensed its rage nor how she was oddly comforted by it.

The girls continued to talk well into the night. Both knew that the other was still hiding things, but that did not stop them from enjoying the other's company. They cried and laughed over each other's stories, all the while slowly shifting to sit beside each other, their shoulders touching. It wasn't until first light that they finally fell asleep, curled beside one another in Fleur's bed.

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

 **AN:** Whew, hey guys, I'm back! It's a new year and a new chapter (I bet some of you are happy). I hope everyone had a good holiday 'cause I know I did. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to write as much as I wanted to (way too many distractions) and now that I'm back I'm finding it difficult to get back in the story (don't worry, I'm still going to write it. It might just be a bit longer in between postings than usual). My biggest problem is my brain keeps creating new stories. I saw Star Wars: The Force Awakens and, like, a few days later someone showed me a pic of Elsa from Frozen as a Jedi Knight so now all I can think about is meshing the two. Meh.

Anyways, you guys don't want to read about what's going on in my world, so enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** Santa didn't bring me the copy rights to Harry Potter this year. Guess I still don't own it.

-xXx-

" _Miss. Fleur! Miss. Fleur, wake up!_ **"**

Fleur groaned in her sleep, frowning as a high pitched voice penetrated her dream. She could not remember the last time she had slept so peacefully and wanted to remain asleep as long as possible.

" _Miss. Fleur, please wake up!_ **"**

The voice was now accompanied by a small hand on her shoulder which began to shake her rapidly. Violently moving her arm to dislodge the hand, Fleur burrowed back into her soft blankets, smiling at the soothing smell and warmth emitting from them. Before she could fully fall back to sleep, Fleur found herself suddenly launched in the air, landing roughly on her side. Her eyes opening in shock, she looked around the room to see what had moved her like that when her eyes fell onto Mipsy, the small elf looking fearful and wringing her hands together.

" _Mipsy! What the hell are you doing?!_ **"** Fleur shouted, extremely angry at the elf for waking her so violently.

" _Mipsy is sorry Miss. Fleur, but Mipsy had to get her away from Big Scary Cat!_ **"** Mipsy was nearly in tears at this point as she gestured back to Fleur's bed. Hearing a low groan, Fleur turned back to her bed and felt her heart soar. _It had not all been a dream,_ she thought excitedly.

Sometime while they were asleep, Hermione had shifted back to the Saber Tooth. The big cat was still fast asleep, fully stretched out on her side, facing Fleur. Her head was cocked to the side, those massive fangs nearly pointing to the ceiling. Hermione groaned again, humming slightly in her sleep, and Fleur could not help but smile at how adorable the dangerous cat was.

Turning towards the still upset elf, Fleur bent down and pulled her into a hug. **"** _It is alright, Mipsy. The cat is not dangerous, it is Hermione. Remember her? She is able to shift forms._ **"**

The elf pulled away from her and turned towards the bed, inspecting the sleeping cat with a critical eye, **"** _That is Miss. Mia? Mipsy did not detect another being within her yesterday._ **"**

" _A bad person put a blocker on Hermione. She did not even realize that she could shift forms until Papa took it off of her._ **"**

Mipsy nodded and turned back towards Fleur, **"** _Mipsy understands and will inform other elves to not be alarmed by Miss. Mia's new form. Mipsy would also like to tell Miss. Fleur congratulations. Mipsy thinks that Big Cat will be good for Miss. Fleur. She will keep the Veela on its toes._ **"** Fleur laughed at the elf, pulling her into another hug, **"** _Thank you, Mipsy. I think she will too._ **"** Mipsy smiled up at her, informed her that breakfast would be ready shortly, and popped away.

Stretching with a soft groan, Fleur turned to face the bed, beaming fondly at the still sleeping feline. She quietly approached the bed, climbed into it and sat beside the saber tooth, quickly reaching out and scratching her on top of the head. Hermione leaned into the touch in her sleep, humming slightly at the feeling. Fleur watched as she lazily opened her eyes before blinking them rapidly in confusion. She could not do anything to stop her as Hermione startled badly upon first glance of Fleur and fell off the bed.

" _My god! Are you alright, Hermione?_ **"** Fleur quickly moved across the bed, looking down at her, now human, mate. Hermione was laid flat on her back, an arm covering her head, as her face burned a bright red. "Fine Fleur," came the muffled response, "just fine."

" _What happened?_ **"**

Hermione just shook her head, too embarrassed and ashamed to tell Fleur that she had thought everything had been a dream. How she thought that she would wake up under the pier, still cold and hungry. Hermione couldn't tell the other girl that when she woke up, she was so confused at the feeling of a bed beneath her. She also couldn't admit how scared she became from sensing someone nearby, somebody that actually seemed to _care_ for her, nor how she had leapt away from the foreign feeling, thinking that it was some kind of trick.

Fleur could sense some of her emotions, most of them very worrying, but decided not to say anything more about the issue due to Hermione's embarrassment. **"** _Mipsy just came in to inform us that breakfast is going to be served soon._ **"** She said slowly, **"** _Would you like to join me?_ **"** Hermione nodded, finally removing her arm and looking up at the older girl. Fleur smiled at her and reached her arm down, the Veela purring as they felt their magic dance and mingle again as she grasped her hand.

-oOo-

After finding something for Hermione to wear (who shyly accepted it with a small thanks), the two girls made their way down the stairs towards the dining room where Damien, Apolline, and Gabrielle were already seated. The two told the other members of the family a good morning before sitting at the table. It still shocked Hermione, who was used to having to go in search of her meal, when food suddenly appeared before her.

During breakfast, Gabrielle demanded an explanation of last night and why she and her mother had to leave the library. Damien gave her a run down version of the events, not wanting to give too many details to the six year old. When told about Hermione's feline self, she demanded to see the big cat for herself. Hermione quickly stood from the chair and shifted into her fur before Apolline or Damien could chastise the poor girl for her rudeness.

Upon seeing the big cat, whose head stood taller than her own, Gabrielle rushed to Hermione, throwing her arms around her neck. Chuffing slightly at the young Veela, Hermione hummed and rubbed her head gently against the child's before pulling back and pressing her nose to the girl's cheek. This elicited a giggle from Gabrielle who then reached up and scratched her head, **"** _You are so cute and fluffy, Hermione!_ **"** This caused the Delacour's to laugh much to Hermione's dismay.

After the remains of breakfast had vanished, Damien said farewell to the family, having to go into work that Sunday morning. Apolline then informed the girls that the four of them would be heading to Paris to get Hermione settled fully into her new life.

" _Régine cannot join us?_ **"** Hermione asked, also wondering why she had not seen the woman that morning.

" _No, Mother had some important business to take care of today. We will probably head over to her house after we visit Beauxbatons._ **"**

Hermione was slightly embarrassed that she thought that the older woman lived in the house and decided not to say anything about it. Truth be told, Hermione had found it strange at first how Régine interacted with Fleur and her family. Hermione's own grandmother ( _Uh, Dr. Granger's mother_ , she quickly corrected) had been loving, yes, but also somewhat distant. The old woman had not come around very often and when she did, she had this air about her that demanded respect and compliance at all times. Régine, on the other hand, was loving and kind and made Hermione feel welcome. She knew that the older Veela could probably hold her own in a fight and demand respect when need be ( _one did not become Alpha of an entire clan of people without some power_ , Hermione thought), but she had never seen that side of the woman yet.

Apolline quickly took a look at the burn around Hermione's wrist before they left. Having never been around much Magical medicine, Hermione was surprised to see that the burn had fully healed, only a pale white scar remaining behind. Even though she was amazed, Apolline still looked distraught. **"** _I am so sorry, Hermione. This is the best I can do. You are going to have this mark for the rest of your life._ **"**

Hermione was confused to the fact that the older woman looked about ready to cry. **"** _It is alright Apolline, really. I am grateful that you got it healed at all in the small amount of time. Seriously, thank you._ **"**

Apolline gave her a sad smile and walked away to make sure Gabrielle was ready to go. Fleur came up to Hermione, also grabbing her wrist and idly tracing the scar. At her questioning glance, Fleur shrugged her shoulders, **"** _It is a Veela thing. We believe the body is sacred and should not be damaged or marked in anyway. To have a scar, no matter how small, is very distressing to most of us._ **"**

Hermione just shook her head, **"** _Is it because you are so beautiful?_ **"**

Fleur quickly glanced at her in amusement. Hermione thought about what she had said and went a deep red, **"** _I…er...I did not mean you._ **"** Fleur's eyebrow shot up. **"** _No! I meant the Veela._ Not that you aren't beautiful, Fleur. You are bloody gorgeous _._ **"** Fleur smirked as Hermione's face went a deeper red. "Uh…" Fleur chuckled at the poor girl.

Before Hermione could make an even bigger fool of herself, Apolline and Gabrielle came over to them. Once she knew the two older girls were ready to leave, Apolline explained to an embarrassed Hermione how Floo travel worked. Hermione was nervous at the thought of stepping into flames, but after she saw Fleur, who went first as a demonstration, go through, she quickly swallowed her fear and followed suit.

-oOo-

Hermione was a bit disoriented when she came shooting out of the fireplace, but luckily Fleur helped her stand ( **"** _Do not worry Hermione,_ **"** Fleur said with a laugh, **"** _You will get used to it and eventually be able to walk out._ **"** ) and move out of the way before Apolline and Gabrielle made their way through. Fascinated, she looked around the cozy café she found herself in and couldn't help but think back to the Leaky Cauldron and how much more intimidating it seemed compared to this. Apolline lead the way to the back of the building, waving at one or two of the occupants, before she stopped at a blank wall, pulled out her wand, and traced a large archway on the wallpaper.

Hermione watched with a grin as the archway tracing fell to the floor, revealing a large alley behind it. After they stepped through, she turned around to watch the fallen wallpaper zip itself back up, hiding the alley once more. "Wicked."

"Welcome, 'ermione, to L'Allée des Rêves!" Apolline smiled, gesturing outwards for flair.

Hermione looked around the Alley, watching a few people move up and down the street, before snorting slightly as she translated the name, "The Alley of Dreams?"

"What? It is better zan zee 'Diagon Alley' you British 'ave." Apolline raised her eyebrow at the girl. "At least we French 'ave a bit of flair in our naming. Yours sounds like a direction." Fleur and Gabrielle laughed lightly at the discussion, not really having a clue what they were talking about, while Hermione just shrugged in response. The woman had a point.

" _Now then, Madame Maxime was kind enough to owl me a list of the items you need to attend your Second Year at Beauxbatons._ **"** Apolline began to walk down the Alley, knowing her fledglings would follow without prompt, **"** _We also need to pick you up a wardrobe. As you can see, we French do not care too much whether you dress traditionally or modernly._ **"** Hermione looked around, noticing that there were just as many people in Muggle clothing as there was in Wizarding robes. **"** _It will not be hard to get you both Wizard and Muggle ensembles here, but we can go out into Muggle Paris if you wish. And of course, you will need some uniforms for school. Now, before we begin,_ **"** Apolline turned to face Hermione, waiting till the girl looked at her from where she had been taking in the place around them, **"** _I must ask. Do you still have your wand?_ **"**

Hermione nodded.

" _Have you tried it since your Blocker was removed?_ **"**

At seeing Hermione's negative response, Apolline gestured with her hand, **"** _Well, come on. Produce a spell._ Lumos _should do fine enough._ **"**

" _What about the Trace?_ **"**

Apolline laughed at her, making Hermione frown slightly at the thought of being made fun of. **"** _Hermione…the Trace is nothing more than a myth that is told to children in school so they do not go around terrorizing people. The only time the Ministry will detect if you are doing magic is when it is affecting a Muggle in some way or if you are close enough to one that they can see._ **"** Hermione felt her mouth drop in shock, the multiple times that she did underage magic and never getting picked up now making sense. **"** _Hermione, a_ Lumos, _if you would._ **"**

Hermione pulled her wand out and, after making doubly sure that Apolline was serious in her request, cast the Lumos spell. However, where she was expecting the small glow that she had produced last year at Hogwarts, the tip of her wand lit up brilliantly. The tip got so bright in fact, Hermione could not look at it for too long without having to blink away black spots from her vision.

" _That is what I thought would happen. You can stop the spell now._ **"**

After whispering 'Nox', Hermione was shocked to see the tip of her wand cracked and blackened. She hadn't realized how hot the handle had gotten either until after she stopped the spell. She looked towards Apolline in alarm, not knowing what had happened.

" _Your magic is stronger now, Hermione, you must remember. That wand was suited for the magic level you used to have. Now that the Blocker is gone, we will have to buy you a new one, one that can withstand your increased magical level and help you regulate the amount of magic you use to cast. We will start there._ **"**

Just as Apolline started to turn to walk away, Hermione stopped her. **"** _How am I to pay for all of this, Madame Delacour? I do not have any money and I do not want to be an inconvenience to you and your family._ **"**

The blonde Veela turned to the girl, seeing her downturned and sadden face, and grasped her shoulders, forcing her to look up. " 'ermione, you will never be an inconvenience to us. You ARE our family now and we take care of our own."

"But why? You barely know me? Why would you help me so much?"

Apolline looked at her, trying to find out what caused this sudden change in attitude. She sighed as she could not get a read on the girl and pulled her into a hug, " 'ermione, it is 'ard for me to explain why we want to care for you so much. Can you not accept zat until you are older when I can explain more?"

Hermione shook her head, wanting more than anything to just go along with the family, to just accept their kindness, but at the same time she needed her questions answered. She needed to know that they were not seeing her as some sort of charity case.

Fleur saw her mother's struggle and went to put her hand on Hermione's shoulder. "It is a Veela zing, 'ermione." Apolline glanced up sharply and sucked in a breath, "Zere are times zat zey make us do zings, zings zat do not make sense to anyone but zem. Zis is one of zose times."

The brunette witch turned to Fleur, looking her in the eye before nodding, accepting what she was being told. **"** _Hermione, trust me. We do not see you as some sort of charity case to take on and make us feel better about ourselves._ **"** Her eyes widened as Fleur seemed to read her mind, **"** _The Veela see you as family, they have since we first met._ **"** Hermione smiled shyly at the girl, knowing instinctively that she was telling her the truth. She turned to Apolline and quickly agreed to follow her, quietly thanking the woman once again for her kindness. Apolline gave Fleur a long look, which Fleur only responded to with a smile, and turned away, quickly leading them farther into the Alley.

Eventually, the group stopped in front of a rather small building with a sign that simply read 'Leasure's'. At Hermione's confused look, Apolline quickly explained, **"** _In Britain, and really around the world, Ollivander is the best known wand maker. However, for those of us in France who do not want to go to Britain, or are wanting a core that is not Dragon, Phoenix, or Unicorn, we go to Leasure._ **"** Hermione nodded in understanding.

As they entered the building, she could not help but be reminded of Ollivander's shop. That is, if his shop was more organized and brighter. From floor to ceiling, bookshelves filled to the brim with wand boxes were lined up as far as the eye could see. Hermione could not help but think the inside of the shop was enchanted because it didn't seem that big on the outside. Apolline quietly cleared her throat and Hermione jumped as she heard a bang come from the back.

" _Shit! Be right there._ **"**

Eventually, a rather small, slim man came from behind a shelf, rubbing his head. Upon seeing who entered the shop, his face split into a wide grin. **"** _Apolline! I never thought I would see the day that you walk in my shop. I usually only see you in the summer. What brings you here on this fine, lovely morning?_ **"**

" _Hello, Jac. We are here for an important visit. Young Hermione here,_ **"** Apolline nudged Hermione forward who shyly waved at the grinning wand maker, **"** _is in need of a new wand._ **"**

" _Oh? May I ask what happened to your old one?_ **"**

Hermione showed the wand maker her old vine wood wand. Taking the cracked wand, Jac turned it, inspecting every inch. **"** _This is one of Ollivander's, yes?_ **"** At seeing her nod, Jac went back to his inspection, **"** _I am guessing that you have went through a recent growth spurt?_ **"**

Hermione shrugged, **"** _Something like that._ **"**

Jac nodded and handed her back the wand. **"** _Well, that is no problem. Come, let us inspect the shelves and see if one calls out to you._ **"** With this, Jac grabbed ahold of Hermione's hand and dragged her back amongst the shelves. Hermione turned back to look at the Delacour's who only smiled reassuringly at the nervous witch.

-oOo-

" _When were you able to tell Hermione about the Veela?_ **"**

Fleur looked up at her mother after Hermione disappeared with Jac behind the shelves. **"** _We could not sleep last night and decided to get to know each other better. Eventually, after I felt she was comfortable enough with me, I told her a little about the Veela. In return, she told me how she ended up on the streets._ **"**

Apolline gasped, **"** _I did not think she would let us know what happened for a long time. Why did she tell you?_ **"**

" _I am really not sure. I think it has something to do with the Bond and her trusting me more because of it._ **"**

" _You did not tell her of the Bond, did you?_ **"**

" _Of course not._ **"** Fleur snorted, **"** _She is too young still to fully understand it. She does know there is some connection between us though, just not the extent._ **"**

" _Good._ **"** Apolline and Fleur flinched as a bang resounded through the room. Gabrielle, whom had been grazing her fingers along the shelves and looking at the wands in longing, jumped and shrieked at the sudden bang. They all relaxed as they heard Jac laugh.

" _Was it as bad as we thought?_ **"**

Fleur felt the Veela rise close to the skin, threatening to break through, **"** _It was not as bad as I was training for, but it was far worse than I imagined. Maman,_ **"** she hesitated, **"** _I do not know if I should let her tell you and Grandmaman or if I should go ahead and do it. It is her story, but the Veela is hard to control whenever we think of it._ **"** Fleur rubbed her chest, remembering the tearing sensation that plagued her for so many months, **"** _And we have thought about it a lot._ **"**

Apolline frowned and glanced back up as she heard another loud boom, **"** _That is troubling... Do not tell us. You will lose her trust if she found out. Hopefully she will trust us soon and tell us on her own. For now, anytime you feel like you are losing control, come and talk to us. We will help it through its rage._ **"**

Fleur nodded in agreement and watched as Gabrielle approached the two, looking at Apolline with pleading eyes, **"** _Please, Maman, can I get a training wand?_ **"**

Apolline rubbed her eyes and sighed, **"** _No, Gabrielle. You will be able to make your wand when you are old enough._ **"**

" _But that is in five years!_ **"**

" _Enough Gabrielle. You know my stance on this. Now be quiet, they are coming back._ **"**

Fleur snickered as Gabrielle crossed her arms and pouted. Looking up she was slightly concerned to see Hermione looking a little singed, but relaxed as she saw her smile.

" _You have a warrior here, Apolline._ **"** Jac said, also slightly singed, with a large smile, **"** _It has been a while since I have seen a wand literally jump off a shelf to get to someone._ **"** He slapped Hermione on the back who winced at the unwelcome contact. **"** _Go on then kid, show them the beauty._ **"** Stepping gingerly away from the odd man ( _Why are all wand-maker's slightly insane,_ Hermione wondered), she showed them the wand that, literally, chose her.

Hermione had to admit, she felt more in tune with this wand than she did her vine wood one. The wand was twelve and three quarter inches long, made of blackthorn wood and a gryphon tail feather core. The wand itself was a deep brown, almost black, color. There were no carvings as there was with her vine wand, but it had nubs present along its length. At the base of the handle, the wand widened to almost an oval shape and lightened to a chestnut brown. Hermione was reminded of a walking stick she had seen one time in a pawn shop.

" _That is a blackthorn wand, Apolline._ **"** Jac grinned, **"** _And it has a gryphon feather core! This one is going to be very powerful. However,_ **"** he turned to Hermione, his grin dimming somewhat, **"** _it is concerning that one as young as you was chosen for a blackthorn wand. You must have gone through some hard times._ **"** Hermione just stared at the wand-maker, eyes wide, and unsure of what to say. Luckily, Apolline intervened before she got too uncomfortable, **"** _Thank you very much Jac. How much will it be?_ **"**

After paying for the wand and leaving, Apolline lead Hermione and her children all over the Alley picking up everything Hermione would need for her Second Year at Beauxbatons. The longer the day went, the more nervous and unsure Hermione got. On one hand, she was happy to be gathering her things to go back to school, but it still scared her with how much at ease she was with the Delacour's. There were times that she forgot about being abandoned by the Granger's and being found on the streets, like she had been living with Apolline, Fleur, and Gabrielle her whole life. But then, something would happen, or somebody Apolline knew would show up and ask who she was, and she would remember that this family had only found her and took her in yesterday. When this happened, Hermione had the urge to sneak away from the family and find her way back to her safe haven under the pier. Before she could make her escape, as if sensing the other girl's fear, Fleur would reach down and squeeze her hand. Hermione would feel their magic dance around together every time this happened and she would sigh in relief, feeling the tightening of her chest sooth at the Veela's touch.

By the time they were ready to leave the Alley to go to Beauxbatons, Hermione had a firm grip on Fleur's hand, not wanting to let go.

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

 **AN:** So sorry about the delay. I'm embarrassed to say that I got distracted playing video games (and maybe working on a Frozen/Harry Potter StarWars!AU) and forgot to upload this chapter yesterday. Forgive me? Anyways, nothing really new going on. I will tell you that I've decided to take my time with the story so there might be a few more chapters than I originally thought there would be(I'm sure that will upset somebody). So...yea...that's it. Have fun!

 **Disclaimer:** Still don't own Harry Potter. Getting tired of repeating that because it makes me sad.

-xXx-

Hermione gazed around in amazement after Fleur helped her up from the Floo. The room she now found herself in was walled in a rich mahogany wood. There was a large desk in the middle with two chairs in front and an even larger high back chair sitting behind it. Bookshelves were etched into the walls; some were completely filled with books and others held shiny trinkets that Hermione wanted to investigate. Along one wall was a grand window, but when Hermione looked out of it, all she could see was sky. And of course, she could not miss the rather tall woman that stood from behind the desk, smiling at her.

" _Hermione, this is Madame Olympe Maxime. She is the headmistress of Beauxbatons._ **"** Fleur then turned to the woman and bowed slightly at the waist, **"** _Headmistress, this is Hermione._ **"**

Madame Maxime walked around the desk and towards them. The closer she got, Hermione felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. There was something about this woman that she did not like and it made her both want to flee and pull out her wand for defense.

" _It is a pleasure to meet you, Hermione. I am honored that you have decided to join us._ **"** Hermione just gave a tight-lipped smile in return, not being able to relax.

Fleur turned to her, sensing her distress, and whispered in her ear, "It is alright, 'ermione. Maxime could not 'urt a fly. I promise." She just nodded at the blonde, eyes never leaving the woman in front of her.

Before anyone could say anything else, Apolline and Gabrielle walked through the Floo. Apolline had a smile on her face, happy to see her old friend, when she noticed how tense Hermione seemed. Quickly glancing towards Fleur, who looked at her mother in confusion, she turned to Olympe and greeted her.

As her mother had Maxime distracted, Fleur stood in front of Hermione, blocking her view of the headmistress, **"** _What is it, Hermione?_ **"** she whispered to her, **"** _What is wrong?_ **"** Fleur placed her hands on the brunette's shoulders and felt some of the tension leave. The girl simply shook her head, not really knowing what was wrong with her either.

" _So, Hermione._ **"** Madame Maxime had now moved and returned to her seat behind the desk. With the barrier between them, Hermione relaxed a little more. **"** _I hope you do not mind, but I invited some of the professors up to see at what level you are. This way, they can know how much work to give you so you can catch up to your classmates. Before they arrive, however, I wanted to get some more information from you. Do you have a last name, Miss. Hermione?_ **"**

Hermione glanced at Fleur for moral support before shaking her head. She did not want to use the Granger's name any longer and she had not thought of a new one to give.

" _Hmm…that is something you will have to think about then._ **"** The tall woman then seemed to sit up taller in her chair and gave her a piercing gaze. **"** _I would like for you to tell me, why exactly did you leave Hogwarts?_ **"**

Hermione narrowed her eyes at the woman, the hair on the back of her neck and arms standing on end once again. She knew if she were in her fur that she would be growling in the back of her throat at the woman.

" _Olympe,_ **"** Apolline said gently, **"** _None of that truly matters. As I told you in my letter, Hermione is now living with us and wishes to resume her studies. That is all you need to know._ **"**

Madame Maxime stared at the brunette for a while, her face unreadable, before she finally looked towards the older Veela and smiled, **"** _Of course it does not matter! I was simply curious as to why she left such a prestigious school. I did not want to have a Hogwarts drop-out or expellee present in my school._ **"**

Hermione bristled at the insult. _How dare she!_ she thought, a low growl beginning to form in her throat. Fleur, whom she had unconsciously stepped in front of, reached forward and grabbed Hermione's hand, hoping to calm the suddenly agitated girl. She had no clue what was wrong with the brunette, but the Veela had sprung to attention at the faint growl they heard. She felt it near the surface of her skin, ready to breakthrough and defend them from whatever threat their mate had detected.

As if unaware of how she insulted the girl, Madame Maxime waved her hand, **"** _We do not settle for drop-outs in this school. Hopefully, when the professors get here, we can judge her skill and see if she is…adequate, enough to be a student at Beauxbatons._ **"** Apolline curtly nodded, angry at how her friend had slighted her newest fledgling.

A thick silence then flooded the air. Maxime was seemingly content in just staring at the girl before her, relaxing so much that she folded her hands on top of the desk. Hermione, however, had not relaxed her stance in the slightest and had almost frozen in place, staring back at the headmistress. Neither moved when a knock suddenly resounded throughout the room. After a second knock occurred, Maxime clapped her hands together and stood up, **"** _That should be Professor Belaire, our Charms Master._ **"**

Hermione followed the headmistress with her eyes as she went to open the door. She didn't even acknowledge the man who entered, so intent in watching Maxime's every move. **"** _Olympe, perhaps you and I shall explore the grounds while the professors talk to Hermione._ **"** Apolline glanced quickly at Fleur who grimaced slightly at her mother, **"** _We do not want to make her nervous. It could skew the results. I am sure Fleur will be able to make introductions on your behalf_ **"** Maxime reluctantly agreed, gave Hermione a final smirk, and together, along with Gabrielle, they left the office.

After the headmistress was out of sight, Hermione fully relaxed, even breathing a sigh of relief. She had no idea what it was about the tall woman that made her go defensive, but everything about her screamed 'snake'. She rolled her shoulders, trying to rid them of the stiffness, and turned to look at the man who had entered the room.

The man (the rather large man, Hermione noted with some amusement) was looking in confusion between Fleur and her. **"** _Um…did I miss something?_ **"** he asked, his voice a little higher pitched than Hermione expected. Fleur breathed out a loud breath and shook her head, **"** _No Professor Belaire, I am sure Hermione is just a little nervous at coming back to school is all._ **"** She quickly glanced at Hermione, who had moved to stand beside her. **"** _Anyways, Professor, I would like you to meet Hermione. Hermione this is Professor Bernard Belaire, the greatest Charms Master I know._ **"**

Professor Belaire smiled sheepishly at them, **"** _You honor me, Miss. Delacour. Now, Hermione was it? That is not a French name. Is it English?_ **"** She quickly nodded, "Yes, sir." He shook his head, **"** _Sorry, my English is not very good, let us just stick with French, yes?_ **"** At her confirmation he clapped his hands together, **"** _Good. Now, I want you to talk to me and tell me what you have learned last year and we will determine where we should go._ **"** Hermione took a deep breath and began.

-oOo-

The testing went a lot faster than Hermione expected, despite the language barrier she encountered. Professor Belaire was very excited when she said she had studied under Filius Flitwick. She was also lucky that Charms had been one of her favorite subjects and she had already started reading the Second Year spells book before her First Year had ended. Her only problem was translating magical theory to French, but luckily Fleur helped her out with the language and even interpreted at times. The man simply told her to review the first few chapters (and to practice speaking about magical things in French) and she would easily make up the month she had missed.

The Transfiguration teacher, a very nervous man by the name of Quinton Musson, reminded Hermione a lot of Professor Quirrell. He had a rather nervous stutter and jumped at every slight noise. Fleur whispered quietly into her ear about a rumor that he had been given his Transfiguration Mastery upon his graduation due to him learning every Transfiguration spell and theory known at the time. He had to do this because people kept turning him into animals and objects and he was forced to reverse them on his own. This explained the nervous twitch he seemed to have because, according to the rumor, people favored turning him into small rodents.

He did seem impressed that Hermione was able to transfigure every object he requested wordlessly. When asked about the skill, Hermione just shrugged, **"** _I experimented with my magic over the summer and discovered that if I 'pushed' the magic and thought about what I wanted it to do, it would happen. With Transfiguration, I just imagine how the object would transform, push the magic, and it does._ **"** She didn't mention that she had never tried the method for Transfiguration, having never needed to do anything of the sort while on the streets, and was very surprised it had even worked. _It must be because the Blocker was removed that it is easier to push my magic_. Even Fleur was impressed with the skill and Professor Musson vowed to 'study' Hermione more in class, whatever that meant.

The Potions professor, a rather kind woman named Élise Coston, took one look at Hermione and determined that she would do well in her class, no questions asked. The Herbology and Astronomy professors, Sophie Burke and Rosita Almaraz, followed the same example and determined she was ready for class immediately.

By the time it was for the last Professor, the Defense Professor, to come and test her, Hermione was exhausted. She could not remember the last time she had been the center of so much attention and wanted nothing more than to hide somewhere. Before the man came into the room, Fleur placed her hand on Hermione's back, reassuring her that this was the last one before they could tour Beauxbatons and go home. Of course, it was at that time that Madame Maxime, Apolline, and Gabrielle came back from their exploration.

Upon their arrival, Hermione bolted up straight in her chair and locked eyes on Maxime. The headmistress just smirked at her, **"** _You have not finished yet? Surely you are not so terrible that you could not answer their questions._ **"**

Fleur stood up and placed herself between the two, **"** _Pardon me Madame, but there is no need for this hostility. Hermione has been doing wonderfully and the professors say that she is ready to begin classes at any time. We were just waiting on Mister Chez._ **"**

As if summoned, the door to the office slammed open and Hermione groaned deeply, only one thought going through her mind, _Snape_. The man was very tall and thin, though not as lanky as Snape, with short dark hair and even darker eyes. He had a sneer placed upon his face as he surveyed the student before him. He did not have the angled nose that Snape did, but he still glared down it all the same. The Defense professor glided into the room, his dark robes sweeping behind him, and stood before her. **"** _So this is the new student?_ **"** He looked her up and down, **"** _She does not look like much._ **"**

Hermione raised her eyebrow, her mind producing a peculiar thought as she assessed the man before her. Deciding to do something impulsive (at least for her), she stood up, came nose-to-nose with the man (at least she tried, he had about a foot on her in height), looked the man in the eyes, and sneered back, **"** _And you do not look like much of a teacher._ **"** Apolline gasped at her, having never thought she would disrespect an authority figure like that, while Maxime just smirked arrogantly.

Professor Chez simply scoffed at her before walking to one end of the room, **"** _To test your skills, I invite you to a little duel. Surely you learned some offensive and defensive spells in your First Year. Of course, I have heard about the 'curse' placed upon the Defense position in Hogwarts. Perhaps they had a toad teach you and you merely learned how to jump in place._ **"**

Hermione chuckled quietly to herself ( _so we are going to play_ , she thought). The teenager stalked to the other end of the room, her wand already out, and turned back to the man, her best 'Draco Malfoy' smirk in place. **"** _Whenever you are ready sir. You issued the challenge so you should go first, no?_ **"**

Before they began, Apolline spoke up, **"** _Perhaps this is not the best way. Surely Dion, there is another way to test a student's ability?_ **"**

Maxime waved her off, a smirk of her in own in place as she thought of Hermione failing, **"** _I am interested in seeing what the little girl can do too. She cannot be as impressive as the other professors' claim._ **"**

Fleur just looked at her mate, confused at the sudden emotional change the girl underwent when the Defense professor had entered the room. Hermione had almost been ready to run away and hide, having been done with being around people, and now she was challenging a very skilled duelist. Fleur knew that it probably had something to do with the presence of Maxime, but having not understood the girl's hostility from the beginning, she could only guess as to the real reason.

Professor Dion Chez sneered at the girl, **"** _Fine. We will begin with the Knockback Jinx and proceed from there, going until you are disarmed._ **"**

Hermione merely smirked at him, ready for him to begin. Truth be told, her insides were buzzing with delight at the challenge presented before her. When the man had entered the room, even though he had an intimidating demeanor, Hermione could sense his kindness and good soul. She guessed that this was all an act to see how she dealt with a purposed threat. So far, she was very impressed with the man and, she at least thought, he seemed to be impressed with her. Of course, she also wanted to put Madame Maxime in her place and prove to her that she was, indeed, very able to attend Beauxbatons.

After a quick courteous bow, Professor Chez sent out a 'Flipendo' which she easily dodged. She returned with a 'Vermillious', not really concerned when it didn't connect. Before he could figure out his next spell, Hermione cast a 'Fumos' hiding in the smoke that quickly filled the room. She heard the man chuckle slightly before he cleared his throat, probably to not give away his 'mean game' too quickly. She barely dodged a 'Verdimillious' and re-summoned the smoke where Professor Chez tried to dismiss it, this time pushing her magic through to produce more. With the extra boost, the smoke became so thick that she could barely see the wand in her own hand.

Quickly thinking through her rather small list of Defense spells, Hermione tried for something new, hoping that she did not end up hurting the man. Feeling her new blackthorn wand hum with excitement, Hermione aimed it towards where she sensed him, pushed her magic outwards, and thought _I want his wand._ Suddenly, a red spark shot from the tip and sailed through the smoke, disappearing from view. Hermione heard the spell connect and something large hit the wall, eventually being able to see a wand sailing towards her.

After catching the wand, Hermione dismissed the smoke and looked at the very shocked professor. The spell she used had sent him flying backwards and he looked rather foolish as he was sprawled out on the ground, his mouth and eyes wide open in astonishment that a thirteen year old had managed to beat him in a duel. She grinned cheekily at him before turning her attention to the headmistress, her face also full of shock. "So…do you still think I was expelled from Hogwarts?"

-oOo-

After Hermione had beat him in the duel, Professor Chez had dropped the mean act and began to act similar to a teenage boy ( _which I'm assuming is how he is normally,_ Hermione thought in amusement). He confirmed what she had speculated, that he had been wanting to see how she reacted to a threat. Professor Chez explained, and Fleur confirmed, that most of his classes were conducted as if they were in real life and death situations. **"** _This produces the best results!_ **"** he had exclaimed, **"** _If you are prepared for anything to happen from the time you walk through the doors as a First Year to the time you leave as a Seventh Year, then you are prepared to survive in the real world!_ **"**

He also claimed (which she found hilarious) that he had heard horror stories of the Hogwarts' Potions Master and decided to emulate him. She told him that he had done a fantastic job. Hermione then had to explain to him about her magic 'pushing' method and he vowed to work with her more, wanting to learn the method himself. Finally, he gave her a few dueling pointers to work on, told her to read over her Defense books, and told her to practice more with her new magical method in a duel setting. Overall, he was very impressed with Hermione and wanted her in his class, immediately.

When he left with a bow, Hermione turned her attention back to Maxime, who seemed somewhat mad that she had performed so well. Before she could open her mouth to speak, Apolline turned to the headmistress and began to whisper to her earnestly, gesturing at the girl. Hermione could not hear what they were saying and was soon distracted by a shocked Fleur.

" _Did you know that he was acting? From your stories about Hogwarts, I am surprised you attacked him like that._ **"**

Hermione shrugged, **"** _I followed my instincts. Something told me that was not the real him so I took a gamble._ **"** Fleur just hugged the girl in response, vowing to herself to talk more with her tonight.

Eventually, Madame Maxime turned to Hermione, **"** _Fine then, Little Girl, all of the professors have determined that you are able to join their classes whenever you are ready. Despite my…personal…opinion, I have been convinced to let you attend Beauxbatons. How much time did you need to settle into Apolline's home?_ **"**

Hermione just shrugged her shoulders, unsure of what the Delacour's had planned for her. Apolline cleared her throat, **"** _We were planning on her staying with us for at least a week before starting school. That way, she can meet the clan,_ **"** Maxime raised her eyebrow in shock, probably unaware that Hermione had been told about the Veela, **"** _become more settled, and Fleur can celebrate her fifteenth birthday at home._ **"**

" _What do you mean? Fleur cannot stay home as well._ **"**

Fleur bristled at this, **"** _I am not going to leave Hermione by herself, Madame._ **"**

" _You must attend, Fleur. You are the top student! You, of all people, cannot miss classes over such a…trivial matter._ **"**

" _Trivial matter?!_ **"** Fleur shouted, feathers starting to appear around her hairline. Before she could say another word, Apolline stepped forward, **"** _Surely Olympe, it is because Fleur is top of her year that she could miss a week of classes. I am sure that the professors would understand._ **"**

" _And even if I was not the top student, I would still gladly miss a week just to be away from you!_ **"** Fleur spat out, her eyes a dark enough blue, that Hermione was sure they were black. Hermione suddenly felt the need to calm the raging Veela down. Unsure of what she was doing, but somehow knowing it was the right thing to do, she grabbed ahold of Fleur's hand and pushed her magic towards her. Hermione shuddered slightly as she felt their magic meet and begin a chaotic dance. Fleur turned at the contact and stared at the brunette, trying to communicate without words. Before Hermione could figure out what she was saying, Fleur turned to her mother and said something in a language that was foreign to the brunette ( _Must've been something bad though_ , she thought as both Apolline and Gabrielle winced at the words). Fleur then turned around, still having ahold of the girl's hand, and stalked to the Floo. She pulled Hermione in beside her, who blushed at how close they were, and grabbed some Floo powder. With a quick shout of **'** _Delacour Manor_ **'** , they disappeared in a blaze of green.

-oOo-

The Veela did not give Hermione time to gain her bearings before dragging her out of the house and into the woods. It knew that it could not transform in the house (its Human and their mother had gotten mad at it the last time it did) so it wanted to head into the woods before it gained its own form.

 **That damn half-giant,** it seethed and felt the Human do the same, **calling MY mate a trivial matter?! If only the Alpha would let me do what I please, I would have torn her apart!** The Human did not like this train of thought and tried to push for control again, but the Veela fought her back. This was ITS time with their mate, not hers.

"Fleur?" The Veela paused as it heard Hermione's questioning tone. Turning to her, it saw the brunette looking at them in confusion (and a little fear, it noticed with a wince). The Veela pulled its mate towards it, wrapping its arms around her waist in a tight hug. As if sensing their anger ( **which she is probably able to do** , it thought), Hermione wrapped her arms around its neck in return and hugged it back, gently humming in the back of her throat.

After a few moments (and at the Human's urgings), the Veela pulled back slightly, resting their foreheads together so they could see one another. **"** _I am sorry, Hermione._ **"** It said gently, **"** _I did not mean to scare you. That woman,_ **"** it spat out, wanting to say a few other words, but it's Human not letting it, **"** _should never have acted that way._ **"**

Hermione simply shrugged, **"** _It is alright. I probably insulted your mother with the way I acted. I would not be surprised if she kicked me out now._ **"**

The Veela pulled her in even tighter and growled deeply. **Over my dead body,** it thought. Even the Human agreed with the thought. At the growl, Hermione pulled back from them (not too far as the Veela had her in a tight hold) and searched its face for something. She tilted her head to the side, "The Veela is in control, isn't it?" The Veela nodded and buried its face back into the girl's neck, breathing in her comfortable scent.

Hermione simply stood there ( _You are rushing things!_ the Human shouted at it, _She is probably so confused._ The Veela simply pushed her back down). Eventually, the girl just kind of shrugged and brought her hand up, scratching the Veela's scalp lightly as she resumed humming in the back of her throat. The Veela purred at the feeling, having never felt something so wonderful before. **My mate** , it thought with delight, rubbing its nose against her neck.

After a few moments, the Veela pulled away, feeling itself start to transform. **"** _You trust us, yes?_ **"** It smiled when Hermione nodded, **"** _I cannot keep this form much longer and I do not want to scare you._ **"**

" _You could never scare me, Fleur._ **"**

The Veela smiled as it leaned in and kissed Hermione on the cheek. Chuckling softly at the girl's blushing face, it quickly walked a short distance away, feeling the telltale itch of feathers beginning to emerge. The Veela closed its eyes in pain as it felt the wings burst from its shoulder blades and its feet surge from its shoes into talons. It had to forcefully keep its hands unclenched so the forming claws would not tear through its own palms. The transformation was not an easy one and the Veela often wished that it could remain in its own form, but it knew the Human nor the Alpha would ever allow that. Eventually, after the transformation was complete, the Veela turned back around to face Hermione.

The Veela was proud when it saw its mate staring in wonderment. It felt the feathers at the crown of its head puff up in pride, knowing that it was beautiful even in this form. Its plumage was a deep royal blue that shimmered with a purple if the light caught them just right and the skin underneath was a light gray. It knew that its eyes were very disturbing to most people, being a jet black and all, but it knew that they would not bother Hermione. The Veela tapped its talons against the earth, anxious to know what the young witch thought of its natural form.

Eventually, Hermione walked towards it and looked up bashfully, **"** _You are very pretty, Fleur._ **"** The Veela crooned in delight and crouched down, bumping its head into Hermione, who just giggled. It wrapped both its arms and wings around her and pulled her close, crooning and rubbing their heads together, loving the feeling of their magic dancing together even in this form.

When Hermione pulled away suddenly, the Veela was worried that it had done something wrong. This changed though when the girl quickly shifted to her fur and rubbed against the Veela, humming with the attention. The beasts bumped their heads together fondly before the Saber Tooth swatted playfully at the Veela and took off in the forest. The Veela screamed with delight and quickly took to the air.

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

 **AN:** Alright, new week, new chapter. I've got a couple of things to address before we begin so bear with me.

1) I start school next week (yay!) so I may not have enough time to update as quickly as I used to. Therefore, I'm going to go ahead and tell you that I will update every Monday (unless I change my mind for whatever reason). So, look forward to a new chapter on Monday.

2) A lot of you seemed surprised that Maxime was so nasty and that surprised me to be honest. (I'm going to admit that it has been a few years since I've read the Harry Potter series so this is all from memory. Please correct me if I'm wrong). If I remember correctly, Maxime was only seen a few times in Book 4 and never really made another appearance. Even then, I can safely say that Harry was not the most observant person so we didn't really learn much about her. However, the few scenes we saw her in showed us that 1) she got very defensive if she thought she had been wronged, 2) hated to admit any personal flaw, and 3) used Hagrid's personal feelings to learn more about the Tournament. I'll admit, I assumed the last one, but, come on. Hagrid just happened to think that Maxime would enjoy a date seeing the dragons that were going to be used in the tournament? And (since Hagrid clearly had a hand in the other two tasks) I bet she had inside information on all of the tasks so she could push her champion ahead of the others. This shows me that she is cunning, sneaky, and willing to so anything to be ahead of everyone else. I just wrote her character out how I thought she would act in canon. I really didn't mean to 'bash' her in anyway.

That's it for now. Hope you enjoy!

-xXx-

" _Hey Fleur, can I ask you a question?_ **"**

Fleur looked to her left and took in the sight of a mud-smeared Hermione. They were laying in a clearing they had found after they had gotten the Veela calmed down enough to transform back. She had been quite embarrassed when her wings had receded and her torn shirt had almost fallen off, but luckily Hermione had offered Fleur her jacket with a smile. They had been in comfortable silence, lying on Fleur's molted feathers, and taking in the beauty of the night sky when Hermione had spoken up.

" _Sure._ **"**

Hermione hesitated slightly. The blonde was able to feel her apprehension and knew that whatever it was that the girl wanted to ask, it was something big. Finally, she took in a breath and turned to the blonde, **"** _Can you tell me why the Veela see me as family?_ **"**

Fleur sucked in a breath, not knowing how to answer the question without giving too much away too fast. **"** _What do you mean?_ **"**

" _This morning…you said the Veela think I am family. And I know that is unusual from what little I have gathered from our talk last night. And…_ **"** Hermione grimaced and turned to look back at the sky, **"** _I am not sure how to say it in French._ **"**

"I know English, 'ermione."

"Oh, yea," she grinned sheepishly at the Veela before turning serious again, "I feel close to you Fleur. I've only known you for, what? Two days? And yet…I feel closer to you than I ever did Harry or Ron. I feel like I could trust you with anything and that's so strange for me." Hermione clenched the grass underneath her in frustration, "And anytime we touch, even if it's a small graze, my magic seems to leap to you. And I know yours does the same." Hermione looked back at her with tears slowly filling her eyes, "Why though? I know that you know. Hell, I know that your FAMILY knows, but…I can't figure it out."

Fleur just looked at the brunette for a long time, unsure of what to say. She had felt the Veela grow more excited the longer Hermione had talked, knowing that it wanted her to explain everything. Yet, Fleur was afraid. She had heard horror stories of Veela revealing the Bond to their mate too fast and the mate rejecting them, being afraid of the seriousness of it; the seriousness of having a Veela for a soulmate. She had been told tales of what happens to Veela if the Bond is rejected, of the heartache and the slow descent into madness until death finally claims them.

Then there was the fact that they were both so _young_. Hermione had just turned thirteen a month ago and Fleur was set to turn fifteen in a couple of days. There was no way that she could spring the Bond on Hermione when they were both just barely leaving childhood behind. Granted, they were not really children anymore since the Granger's had left Hermione on her own, but it was too soon to explain such a thing to the young girl. It was too early in their relationship still for Fleur not to be terrified that Hermione would just run away from them, from her.

"It's bad, isn't it?"

"Non!"

Fleur sat straight up and turned to Hermione, desperate that the girl did not think of the connection they had as a bad thing. "Non, 'ermione! It is not a bad zing…I just…I do not know 'ow to explain it."

Hermione sat up as well and took hold of Fleur's hands, fiddling with her fingers in nervousness, "Just tell me, Fleur. I will understand."

" _I am afraid though._ **"**

The brunette glanced up at her, shocked at the plea in the girl's voice. Fleur knew that she was almost in tears, but the thought of Hermione ( _who I just found,_ she cried) leaving her, running back to the streets, broke her heart. She could not bear the thought of being without the young witch.

" _What are you afraid of?_ **"**

Fleur felt a sob leave her throat at the girl's voice and just shook her head. The Veela was more insistent, pushing upon its barriers to try and tell the girl the truth. It did not see the problems that Fleur did, being more driven by impulse than anything else. She felt a pain begin behind her eyes and knew that if she did not do something soon that the Veela would break through again and take control.

" _I do not know what you are afraid of Fleur, but please. I need to know what this is. I need to know that I really am no charity case to you. That you did not just find me and…_ **"**

" _I am afraid that you will leave!_ **"**

Hermione just stared at her, confusion clear in her face. Before Fleur could turn away from those bright amber eyes, the witch scoffed at her. "Are you serious? You think I would leave over something like this?"

At Fleur's shy nod, Hermione's expression turned to one of bewilderment. "Fleur…your family has showed me so much more love and kindness in these past two days than the Granger's did the entire time I lived with them. Sure, they took care of me and gave me stuff, but there was always this underlying fear that I always knew was present, but never knew what caused it. Of course, now I guess that they knew of my fur the entire time and was always afraid I would shift and eat them." Hermione chuckled bitterly before giving her a smile.

"Fleur, I don't think that even if you told me that you sensed the fur and wanted me as a pet that I would leave. Even if your mother does throw me out for how I treated Maxime," Fleur gripped her hands tighter at the thought, "I would still try and sneak back in until magic forced me out. I feel so comfortable and loved here and that is what is confusing me. It has been so long since I felt this way, since way before the blocker was put on, that it confuses me greatly."

Fleur stared at Hermione in shock, "You remember what 'appened before zee blocker?"

"Oops…I didn't mean to tell you that," Hermione turned sheepish for a moment before gesturing between them, "See! This is what I mean! Before, there would've been no way that I would've let something like that just slip. I would've guarded it with my life. Anytime I'm around you, my head just gets jumbled and I start blurting things out. I'm not usually like that." She turned towards Fleur again, her eyes pleading with her. "I need to know what this is Fleur. I'm not going to leave because of it, but I need to know."

Fleur just stared back at her, trying to think through her options. Before she could decide on something, Hermione sighed, "Fleur…"

"Please, 'ermione. You will not wait until we are older?"

Hermione shook her head, "I need to know what this is, Fleur. I need to understand this now." She looked at Fleur thoughtful for a moment, "I'll tell you what though, if you explain this to me, I will tell you about before the blocker. That way, we both know each other's biggest secret and we will be even. What do you say? Please?"

Fleur looked at her for a moment and nodded, "Okay, but please believe me when I say zat I wanted to wait. I am afraid you will not like it."

"How could I not like it, Fleur? You guys see me as FAMILY. A family, Fleur. Something that I cannot remember having even while with the Granger's. Whatever you say could only be amazing, but I need to know. I need you to explain it."

Fleur took a deep breath to gather her nerves. She knew this would turn bad, but the girl was insistent and the Veela was pushing her also. She just hoped that Hermione would not run away in the end. "Do you believe in soulmates?"

Hermione shrugged, "I can't really say I've thought of such things. I've read about them in books, but I thought it was all a fantasy. Then again," Hermione gestured around them with a smile, "when I thought I was a Muggleborn, I believed that all of this was a fantasy, but it turned out to be real. So, I guess I can believe in them. Why?"

"Zee Veela do. Zey believe zat every creature 'as another 'alf out in zee world. You remember me telling you 'ow zee Veela are descendants of Sirens, oui?" Hermione nodded, "Well, when zee first Veela emerged from zee sea, Apollo, our god, was pleased wiz 'er and granted 'er zree gifts. Zee first gift was zee feazers, so we could fly wiz 'im. Zee second was our flame." Fleur let some fire rush to her palm and showed an awed Hermione the fireball she could summon before banishing it. "Boz of zese gifts were to 'elp us drive away 'umans zat were drawn in by our Zrall."

"I'm sorry, Thrall?"

Fleur sighed, "It is 'ard to explain." She ran her fingers through her hair in thought, "It is like…an aura zat surrounds Veela. It calls to weak-minded people and puts zem under our control. When we do not mean to use it, zee men will try and gain our attention any way possible. I 'ave gotten in trouble at school for 'exing boys who were too pushy because of it."

"The gold glow…" Hermione whispered to herself in thought. Fleur just looked at her in confusion. "Pardon?"

The girl blushed, "When we first met, there was a gold glow surrounding you. I thought it was the sun at the time, but I saw it again last night in the library. Is that the Thrall?"

Fleur shrugged, "Maybe. I do not know, I 'ave never seen it."

"Oh, not even on another Veela?"

"We can only sense it. We cannot physically see it."

"That's okay. Please, continue."

Fleur swallowed thickly again, her voice shaking slightly, " 'is last gift…was zee ability to find our soulmate. Our perfect match in zee world so zat we may be complete. Zese people were meant to 'elp us control zee Veela inside, to 'elp calm it down."

Hermione looked thoughtful, "So…your father is your mother's mate."

"Oui."

"Where is your grandmother's? Or have I not met him yet?"

Fleur shook her head sadly, "My Grandmaman's mate died during Voldemort's war. **"**

Hermione gasped in shock, "You aren't afraid to say his name?"

Fleur laughed slightly, "Of course not. It is only zee British zat 'old onto zee silly superstition. Everywhere else calls 'im by 'is name wizout fear."

"I thought it was silly myself when I first heard about it." Hermione shook her head. "'Fear of the name increases fear of the thing itself' and all that. But over in Britain, people would literally freak out if you said Voldemort. Anyways, I'm sorry to interrupt. Do you remember your grandfather? What was he like?"

"She was my grandmére and no, I do not remember 'er very well. 'owever, Grandmaman built a shrine to 'er in zeir 'ouse so I know what she looked like."

Fleur winced internally as Hermione looked at her in shock, "A Veela's mate can be a woman?"

"Oui," Fleur hesitated slightly, "My Tante Laurette is mated to a wonderful woman named Isabelle. Zey live not far from 'ere."

Hermione grew silent. The blonde knew that she was thinking about her next question and was growing more afraid the longer she was silent. After the silence lasted for more than a minute, Fleur looked towards the ground, tears refilling her eyes.

"Fleur," the Veela looked up slightly at the girl and winced as she saw Hermione's blank face, "how do Veela know when they've met their mate?"

Fleur took a shaky breath, "When we turn fifteen, zee Veela makes itself known. We are given our feazers, our fire, and an ache in our soul that will direct us to our mate. When we find zem," she looked away from Hermione, afraid of the girl's reaction, "zere is an instant recognition, zee mate will react to zee Zrall in some way, and…"

When Hermione realized that she was not going to continue, she gripped her hands a little tighter, "And what, Fleur?"

Fleur squeezed her eyes shut, feeling a tear run down her cheek as she thought of Hermione leaving after this. She thought of the girl being disgusted, of her getting up and running away. _Or perhaps she will maul me as the Saber Tooth._ Fleur thought, _She may as well literally rip my heart out._

Upon feeling another squeeze of her hands, she turned back to the girl. "And zee Bond will begin to form and every part of our being, our heart, our souls, our…" Fleur took a shaky breath, "our magic, will rush to meet each ozer."

There was a long silence. Fleur knew that Hermione was smart, a genius probably given how she did today at Beauxbatons, so she knew that it would not take long for the girl to put everything together. She expected her to leap away at any moment and disappear out of her life.

"Why did you go to the beach?"

Fleur chuckled bitterly at the random question. **"** _Merlin, I do not know._ **"** She shrugged and turned to look sadly at Hermione, "Zee Veela demanded it, so I went. I 'ave no idea why because Veela 'ate water, but it demanded and I followed."

Another silence. "We're soulmates, aren't we." It was not a question.

Fleur nodded. The Veela inside trilled with joy as Hermione acknowledged the Bond while Fleur could only feel sadness and fear. This discussion should not have happened until they were older ( _A lot older,_ Fleur grimaced) and she could not help but worry that the young witch would be afraid of the Bond. That it would be too serious and too life altering for her to consider at this point in time. Especially given how much Hermione's life had changed in the past year. She was just waiting for the inevitable to happen.

"Well…that clears things up."

Fleur could only look up sharply at the girl. _Did I just hear her right?_ She thought dazed. **"** _Excuse me?_ **"**

Hermione just shrugged, "It makes sense. Your family was obviously aware of what would eventually happen so I now know why they accepted me with open arms. If we are bound at the soul level, it explains why my very being wants to trust you more than anything. It explains why I'm so comfortable with you, why I want to follow you everywhere, why it feels like I can't breathe when you aren't around." Hermione trailed off with a blush on her face. Fleur did not even acknowledge her embarrassment or what she had said, too overjoyed and awed that she did not seem terrified.

"The only thing I have to say is, I don't know what to do about it. I mean," the witch gestured between them, "we're too young. I now understand why you wanted to wait. I have to say, though, I'm not too happy that the universe decided who I would love." Fleur winced at this. "But I can't say that I'm entirely disappointed." Hermione squeezed her hands and blue eyes locked with amber, "I really do feel something for you, Fleur, and I am glad you explained it to me because I was truly starting to freak out. After all that I've been through, I can't help but think that this makes up for it." They both smiled.

"However, I can't help but think that I would've never guessed anything was different if that blocker hadn't been removed." Hermione looked down at the white ring surrounding her wrist, "Maybe your dad should've left it on. Then I wouldn't have to deal with not knowing what I am. I wouldn't have forced you to tell me this before we were ready."

"Non, 'ermione. Wiz zat blocker on you, you would 'ave never been yourself. You would 'ave always 'ad trouble wiz your magic, it would not 'ave responded to you as it should. And," Fleur brought their clasped hands up to eye level, feeling their magic dance together, "our magic would never 'ave reached each ozer. Our Bond would never 'ave formed."

Fleur began to feel more comfortable with the discussion now that she knew Hermione was not afraid, "I believe it is because of your fur zat you felt zee Bond in its first stages of forming. Usually, zee non-Veela mate does not feel it until after zey 'ave…uh…fully bonded."

"Fully bonded?" Fleur only gave Hermione a significant stare, her face slowly going red. Hermione's eyes widened as she caught on, "Oh…"

"Do not worry,'ermione. Zee Veela 'as not demanded zat…yet. It knows zat we are too young. Right now, it just wants to be near you, to know zat you are safe."

"That's another thing, Fleur. You said that the Veela does not make itself known until you are fifteen, yet your fifteenth birthday is in a few days. Why did yours come early?"

"Zee Veela woke up for me on zee 1st of juin."

Hermione looked at her in shock, "That's when I knew the Granger's had left me…Are you saying that it woke up because of me?"

"Oui," Fleur nodded, a sad smile on her face, "It felt your sorrow, your 'eartache, and demanded I go find you. Unfortunately, I only knew zat you were norz of me and my Grandmaman basically locked me in my room so I would not run zat way." Fleur grimaced as she remembered those early days, "Zee pull was very strong. It 'urt to do anyzing while we were parted."

"I'm so sorry, Fleur."

"Non, do not be sorry. Fate brought us togezer this early for a reason."

Hermione smiled at her, "Your Grandma said something like that at the beach."

"She is very wise."

Hermione nodded before looking down at their hands. Taking a deep breath, she looked back up to Fleur, "I know that we're soulmates and I know that I already feel…something for you, but can we take things slow? We still do not know each other, truly, and it seems silly to start," Hermione gestured with her hand, "whatever this is, now. So, for now, can we just be friends?"

Fleur beamed at her, elated that the witch still wanted to be around her, that she was not afraid of the Bond. "Of course! I would not 'ave wanted to start dating yet anyways." Hermione blushed slightly at her enthusiasm. "I want to know everyzing about you 'ermione and I want you to know me."

"Good."

"Now zen," Fleur looked at a suddenly nervous Hermione, "you promised zat if I told you my secret you would tell me yours."

-oOo-

Hermione shrugged as she looked at her mate ( _That's going to take some time getting used to,_ she thought). She still could not believe that the reason the Delacour's liked her so much was that she was soul bound to Fleur. Though, on a deeper level, in her very heart and soul, she had suspected something like that since the blocker had been taken off. She had been telling the truth when she said that it all made sense. Never before had she been drawn to a person as much as she was drawn to Fleur.

"There really isn't much to say. It was a long time ago and it's hard for me to remember."

"At least try, 'ermione. You said zat you did not know what you are. Talk to me about it, maybe togezer we can figure it out."

Hermione took a deep breath and brushed her dirty curls from her face. "I don't know where it was, but I remember a forest. A very large forest. There were birds singing everywhere and…something else calling but I don't remember what animal. I don't remember much else."

"Okay…so you were raised in a forest. Zat is somezing, 'ermione." The girl just shrugged. "What else?"

"I remember my mother, sort of. I know that her fur was a darker color than my own. Maybe completely black? But I can't remember her face, Fleur. I can't remember what my own mother looked like." Hermione felt tears suddenly fill her eyes and she bowed her head in shame.

Fleur pulled her into a hug and began to make shushing sounds. "It is alright, 'ermione. Nobody can blame you for zat. Somezing 'orrible 'appened zat took you away from 'er and erased your memories. Zee fact zat you can remember at least zat is impressive."

"I remember being taken from her." Hermione whispered into Fleur's shoulder. She felt the Veela tighten her arms in response. "We were locked in a cage. I can't remember how we got there, but I remember being so scared of being captured. We were in there for a long time before a human, a man I think, came and grabbed me. I remember her roaring and how frightened she sounded. Then, the man said something. I feel like I know the language now, but back then, it was Human Speak and I can't recall the words. But then I felt a sharp pain and my memories change to the Granger's."

Hermione gripped the Veela's borrowed jacket, trying to stop the panicked feeling from returning. Every time she thought of what happened, it was like she relived it. She heard the echo of the older feline's roar in her ears and felt someone pick her up by the scruff of her neck. She still felt the pain when the Human had spoken, saw the bright light that blinded her. Hermione gripped Fleur tighter, trying to calm down.

"Do you remember what zee man looked like?"

Hermione nodded, "He held me up to his face before saying the words. I feel like I know him from somewhere, but I can't remember."

Fleur was silent for a long time, just held the girl as tight as possible. Hermione didn't know what else to say, she didn't remember anything else. She felt herself slowly calm down because of the soothing presence of the Veela. _It must be because of the Bond,_ she thought, smiling slightly.

"You said zat zee man spoke 'uman speak. What did you mean?"

Hermione shrugged, "I didn't know the language, but I knew it was spoken by Humans. I remember it being called Human speak, or the Human Tongue, but I don't remember why."

She took a deep breath, suddenly nervous about revealing this next part. "Fleur, I'm not entirely sure what I am. I do know that most of my memories are when I was in my fur. I," she hesitated before pulling away and looking Fleur in the eyes, "I don't know which is my true form; the Saber Tooth or the Human. There were times today when I felt like I needed to shift, like my skin was uncomfortable to be in anymore. I think you sensed those times, right?" Fleur nodded her head. "I thought so. You would always grab my hand when I felt like that and the feeling would go away."

Fleur looked thoughtful for a moment, "Per'aps you are a type of Selkie."

"A Selkie?"

"Selkies are magical beings whose true form is a seal. Zey are able to shed zeir skin and be 'uman, but they are more comfortable as zee animal. It could be zat you are zee same, but a cat instead of a seal."

Hermione looked at her in shock, "You aren't upset that I don't know what I am? Even if I truly am a cat?

Fleur simply shrugged, "I did not know when I first felt zee Veela call out for you. I did not know whezer you were male or female, Magical or Muggle, or even anozer creature entirely. No matter what you were, I still knew zat we were meant to be togezer. I am not angry at you for not knowing what you are, zat is somezing we can figure out togezer, 'ermione. I am mad at zis mysterious man for taking your life away from you. And if I ever find 'im, I will end 'im."

Hermione looked at her, shocked at the hostility from the kind witch, but then noticed the dark eyes. "The Veela is talking, isn't it?"

Her mate tilted her head and blinked away the darkness before smiling sheepishly, "Oui, it was. But zat does not change zee fact zat I might just let it."

Hermione was unable to stop herself from pulling the older girl into a hug, "Thank you, Fleur. This whole situation would be much worse without you."

"De rien, 'ermione. De rien."

-oOo-

The two girls stayed out in the woods for a long time, perfectly content and happy. Even with the revelations they had, each were ecstatic that the other accepted them. Fleur could not believe that Hermione accepted the Bond between them. She knew that it had something to do with the girl being a creature in her own way. **You worried for nothing** , the Veela said smugly. Fleur just rolled her eyes at it.

Before long, a very regal looking Eagle Owl landed in front of them, holding out its leg to Fleur. She took the note and grimaced. "It is from Maman. She wants us to come 'ome."

"How mad do you think they are?"

Fleur sighed, "Zey cannot be too angry. She will probably be disappointed zat I could not control zee Veela, but Maxime was out of line."

They both got up and Fleur led them back to the house. As they were walking, Hermione could not help but worry. "Do you think your mother will kick me out? I did disrespect her friend."

"Non, I zink she will want an explanation." Fleur glanced at her, "Why did you act like zat? Maxime really is a good woman. She is a little intimidating due to 'er 'eight, but zat is because she is 'alf-giant. Zat did not bozer you, right?"

Hermione snorted, "I'm a creature myself, Fleur. Her being half-giant didn't bother me." She took a deep breath. "I'm not really sure what was wrong. It was like, when I saw her, everything went on the defensive. It felt like I was in front of somebody that wouldn't hesitate to stab me in the back if I turned around. I don't trust her."

Fleur came to a stop at the edge of the forest and looked at her. "And zis just 'appened? Zere was nozing zat brought it on?"

"No, it was just a feeling I couldn't shake as soon as I saw her."

The Veela looked at her for a moment before shrugging, "We will 'ave to keep an eye on 'er zen. I feel like she got defensive and angry because she zought you were judging 'er 'alf blood, but she should not 'ave acted like zat. Maman will understand, she will not kick you out." Fleur took ahold of her hands and smiled, "I will not let 'er."

After Hermione returned the smile, they both continued on to the house where they were met at the door by Apolline. Before Hermione could wonder about how the older woman felt about her prior actions, Apolline pulled them both in for a hug before looking at them with worry.

" _Where have you both been? I was worried sick when you did not come home._ **"** She took a good look at how Hermione was covered in mud and Fleur's ripped shirt and jeans and her bare, muddy feet. **"** _I did not expect it to take that long to calm the Veela down._ **"**

" _It is alright, Maman. We stayed out in the woods and talked. We lost track of time._ **"**

Hermione took a deep breath, **"** _I am sorry Madame Delacour for how I acted in front of your friend. I hope I did not upset you too much._ **"**

Apolline pulled her in for another hug, **"** _You did not upset me, Hermione. You did worry me though. Olympe would not hurt a fly._ **"** Hermione explained her feelings to Apolline who just looked confused, **"** _I have never known her to be sinister._ **"**

Fleur sniffed delicately, **"** _She showed her true ways to me when she behaved like a young child. I agree with Hermione, I do not trust her either._ **"**

Apolline looked at them both and shrugged, **"** _If that is how you feel, that is how you feel. I just hope that you change your minds. She will be your headmistress and it will not due for you to make her angry. Now, go upstairs and wash up, you both have been filthy long enough. I will have Tobi warm up dinner for you._ **"**

-oOo-

After they had both cleaned up, Hermione went to Fleur's room and together they ate and chatted about the upcoming week at home. Fleur was excited to spend her fifteenth birthday, a very important age to the Veela, at home among the clan. Hermione was just excited to meet the clan and learn their culture.

Like the night before, they ended up falling asleep beside one another. This time, with full knowledge of what was going on between them.

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

 **AN:** Happy Monday everyone! I hope you have all enjoyed it (I haven't. It's been freezing here all day and I've had to venture outside.). Anyways, as promised, a brand new chapter. The only thing I really have to say is: To my few guests/reviewers who have asked me to skip ahead, uh, I'm planning on it. I have a few things that I still need to talk about but we are going to have a time jump. Just be patient.

Oh! Before I forget, I've added a new "language" to my list.

"Reguler"

" _French_ "

 _Thoughts_

 ** _"_ Veela"**

Just to clarify for later in the chapter.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter.

-xXx-

Fleur woke up the morning of her fifteenth birthday flushed and out of breath. All night the Veela had been sending her dreams and visions of what it wanted to do to Hermione and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Of course, a part of herself wanted to hold the girl too, caress her, kiss her, _love_ her…Fleur quickly shook her head as she felt the Veela rile back up. Today was going to be long enough without the added worry of controlling her thoughts.

She quickly began to get ready for the day and started to think back to the wonderful week they had and how much Hermione had changed. Within a week, the girl seemed to open up more to her and her family. Of course, the brunette still had not told her parents or grandmother about the Granger's or remembering what happened before the blocker, but she seemed to be more comfortable around them. She did not apologize as much as she used to and she did not look as scared of doing something wrong.

Hermione's first encounter with some of the clan members could have gone better though. Fleur still remembered how angry she and the Veela had gotten when her Sisters seemed to shun the brunette. _She might be a cat,_ Fleur had thought with a huff, _but she is still my mate. Not some mangy feline that thinks it is better than everything._ She could only assume that Régine had said something to the clan because after a few days, their behavior had changed drastically and they seemed to make an actual effort of being around the girl.

Of course, the mothers had still been horrified when their fledglings had absolutely loved Hermione, especially when she was in her fur. Fleur still laughed at the look on Hermione's face when the first child had climbed on her back and demanded a ride. After that, every child that came to the manor immediately demanded the brunette's attention and she could do nothing but accept her fate.

Speaking of her fur, one of Hermione's biggest questions about their bonding (which Fleur was still amazed that she had accepted so easily) was the fact that a bird-like creature had chosen a cat-like creature as a mate. Hermione could not understand that such things did not matter to the Veela; only that their souls called out to one another. Of course, Fleur could only laugh when the brunette had called her Veela weird for being the only member of her race to like cats (or _a_ cat, specifically). _Is this why you are torturing me?_ Fleur suddenly thought at it, _Because I agreed with her?_ The Veela said nothing.

Fleur just shook her head and exited her (rather cold) shower. As she was getting dressed, the blonde sensed Hermione standing outside of her door and grinned as she felt her excitement. From their previous talks, Fleur knew that Hermione had never had (let alone seen) a large party and a Veela coming of age party was one of the biggest in Veela culture (she could not wait to see the brunette's face when she witnessed how large their wedding would be). Fleur quickly grimaced as she thought of how lonely Hermione must have been growing up without any siblings or cousins. No one to confined in or play with. Always alone with only her books for company. She quickly shook her head, ridding herself of the thoughts, _She will never be alone again, not as long as I am here._ The Veela purred at the thought and sent another image that made Fleur's face burn before she stamped it back down.

She quickly chastised the Veela and opened the door with a smile on her face, ready to greet her beloved. It rapidly fell from her face though as she took in Hermione's dumbstruck expression. The young girl's eyes were wide open and she did not appear to be breathing. The longer they stared at one another, the redder Hermione's face became.

" _Hermione?_ **"**

The girl did not appear to notice that Fleur had said anything. She was becoming worried until Fleur felt the Veela begin to purr and try to take control again. _You blasted thing,_ she thought in frustration and tried her hardest to reign in the Thrall that she just realized she was releasing. She sighed as she realized it was futile.

" _I am so sorry, Hermione. The Veela has been strong today._ **"**

"…uh…"

Fleur was relieved to hear the girl make some noise, but was still worried by the awed look on her face. _Grandmaman will know what to do,_ she thought. With a nod of determination, Fleur grasped Hermione's wrist with the full intent of dragging her to the elder. Of course, this had some unforeseen side-effects.

As soon as she made contact, Fleur felt the air leave her lungs and she became dazed at the strength of their magic connecting. She was faintly aware of Hermione also gasping for breath and knew that the girl could feel the power as well. _We cannot do this now!_ Fleur tried to reason with the Veela as it started bashing against its barriers, _She is still too young!_ With much pain, Fleur fought past the Veela and started making her way to where she felt her Grandmother.

The entire way there, Fleur had the urge to turn around and return to her room with Hermione. She knew this was the Veela's thinking ( _She is only thirteen,_ she kept repeating in her mind), but after the series of dreams she had, she could not help but want this too. Of course, the pulsing of her magic with Hermione's, knowing that it wanted them to fully bond, also did not help matters.

Fleur almost cried with relief when she spotted the older woman. **"** _Grandmaman! Help!_ **"**

Régine quickly turned to her, worry clear in her eyes when she heard the desperate plea, but relaxed slightly as she understood what was going on. **"** _It is alright, Fleur. Let go of her and go into the dining room. I will take care of her._ **"**

Tears filled her eyes as Fleur thought about letting go of her mate. She knew this thought was silly, she was only going into the next room so Régine could break the Thrall's Haze. However, the Veela did not want to let go. They had spent so long looking for the girl and it did not want to let her out of its sight. Not now. Not ever.

" _Fleur._ **"** The young Veela looked up to her grandmother in desperation as she felt a hand on her wrist, but quickly snarled as she felt herself being pulled away from her mate. How dare this person get between them! She felt the Veela rise to her skin and felt the telltale itch of feathers about to burst through. There was nothing she could do to stop it.

Before she could fully transform, Fleur felt a presence that nearly suffocated her. The air turned heavy and she could barely stand upright as it weighed down around her. **"Let go, my heir. I will not allow anything to happen to your young mate, but we must break the Thrall around her. She is not ready for this to happen."**

The Veela looked up at the Alpha and reluctantly let go of the oblivious girl. As soon as it did, the air returned to normal and the pulsing of their magic almost stopped completely. Fleur breathed a sigh of relief as she felt the Veela settle back down, knowing that it would behave in the presence of the stronger Veela. Régine did not have to say anything else to her as she walked forcefully away from them and into the dining room.

-oOo-

Hermione frowned slightly as the strong, warm presence suddenly left her. She couldn't remember how she had first come by the warmth, but knew that she didn't want it to leave. It had been filled with a sense of safety and longing, Hermione didn't know if she could live without it. As she started to follow the person that was leaving, desperate to regain contact, Hermione felt a sharp pain to her shoulder. Whirling around with a snarl of her own, Hermione was shocked to see a smiling Régine staring down at her.

" _Good morning, Hermione! I trust you slept well, yes?_ **"**

Hermione rubbed her aching shoulder in bewilderment, **"** _Why did you hit me?_ **"**

" _Hmm…_ **"** Régine tapped her finger to her chin, **"** _Could you tell me what you were doing before you came down?_ **"**

" _Came down? We are still in…the…hallway?_ **"** Hermione looked around her. The last she remembered, she was standing outside of Fleur's door wanting to be the first to wish the girl a 'Happy Birthday'. Now she was standing before the door of the dining room with no knowledge of how she got there. She turned back to Régine with fear in her eyes. "How'd I get here? I can't remember anything?"

"Zee Zrall of a newly awoken Veela is very powerful, oui? I did not zink zat Fleur would 'ave much trouble, given zat 'er Veela woke up a few monz ago. 'owever, it appears zat it was not at full power just yet. Unfortunately, you seem to be affected by zee Zrall, but luckily, a sharp pain to a body part gets rid of zee 'aze."

"I'm affected by it so bad that I lose all train of thought?" Hermione couldn't believe her bad luck.

"Unfortunately, oui." Régine gave her a sad look. "Fleur should learn 'ow to control it wiz much training, but for zee meantime, you are going to 'ave to be careful."

"So, what you're telling me is, for all of today and probably a few months, I'm going to have to be on guard constantly?" Régine gave her a small nod. Hermione just groaned and buried her head in her hands. "This whole soulmate thing is harder than I thought." She muttered. Hermione winced at Régine's sharp intake of air. Obviously she had not been as quiet as she thought.

"You know." It wasn't a question.

Hermione nodded up at the woman who gazed down at her disapprovingly. "I kinda forced Fleur to tell me about it last Sunday. I knew there was something between us, but I couldn't figure it out."

"And you are okay wiz it? You 'ave no questions?"

"Oh, I have loads." She laughed slightly, "It's hard for me to think that the Universe or Fate or whatever just pre-determined who I am going to spend the rest of my life with. I almost feel cheated." She quickly raised her hands in defense as she saw Régine narrow her eyes. "But I don't regret it! Never, I swear! The more Fleur and I talk, the more I come to accept it. It helps that I can feel my magic wanting it too."

"You feel zee pulse of magic?"

"Yea…Fleur thinks it has something to do with my fur. That I am more in tune with my magic because of it."

Régine folded her arms in front of her chest. "Zat is an interesting zeory. I will 'ave to zink more about it." The older woman gave her a piercing gaze. "Next time you feel somezing strange or 'ave a question, ask me or Apolline. You boz are too young to be worrying about zis."

"Too young?" Hermione just shook her head, "Fifteen is the coming of age for Veela right?" She waited for Régine to nod. "Today is Fleur's fifteenth birthday. I have two more years till I'm fifteen and even now I'm being affected by the Thrall. We may be too young technically, but for some reason our magic is demanding we be together now. I don't think Fate thinks we are too young to be discussing this, do you?"

Régine stared at the girl for a moment before sighing, **"** _You are too smart for your age, Hermione._ **"** The young witch just smirked at her, knowing that she made her point. **"** _Come, let us go eat breakfast. Whenever you are around Fleur, pinch your arm or something to get rid of the Haze._ **"**

Hermione followed the older witch into the dining room and immediately felt her breath leave her lungs. The only thing she noticed was the vision of beauty sitting at the table. Fleur's white-blonde hair seemed to glow in the morning light that was streaming in from the window. Her bright blue eyes (which were filled with worry, but Hermione didn't notice) seemed to glow on their own. Hermione wanted nothing more than to go over to the girl, be next to her, for the rest of her life.

Just as she felt her feet begin to move, Hermione swiftly pinched her arm. She winced slightly and rubbed away the sting, but smiled at Fleur's bewildered look. She noticed that the older girl didn't seem to glow anymore and knew that resisting the Haze would be easier than she originally thought. Hermione smiled and greeted the other members of the family before sitting down and enjoying the meal.

-oOo-

Hermione gazed around the tent in wonder. She had never seen so many people gathered in one place before (not counting school or public places of course). The fact that everyone was here to simply celebrate a teenage girl's birthday was amazing. She had been told that most of the clan members in France, along with their mates and children, would be coming. Hermione hadn't really thought much about it at the time, but now she couldn't help but wonder how many members weren't in France and how large the Delacour clan actually was.

In fact, she had been slightly overwhelmed all week as she took note of the number of Veela that visited the Delacour mansion. At first, she had been concerned that they were there to see her (Apolline _had_ told Madame Maxime that her meeting the clan was a goal for the week), but Fleur informed her that this was a normal, daily occurrence. She had, at the time, thought she had seen most of the clan members, but now she knew she hadn't even met a third of them.

Everywhere she looked in the tent, Hermione saw groups of Veela laughing, talking, and dancing. Over in a corner, there was a multitude of laughing children chasing some flying toy around (as soon as they had arrived, Hermione hid hoping that they wouldn't see her). Scattered randomly throughout the massive group, Hermione was able to sense some beings that did not have the dual presence of the Veela so she assumed that these were mates of those present. She really wanted to talk to some of them, try to get a sense of what's to come, but she was still a bit wary of strangers. Of course, the previous talk she had with Régine that morning also stopped her.

Hermione let her gaze wonder to the front of the tent where the birthday girl herself was. If she was going to be honest with herself, Hermione wasn't entirely sure what to do. On one hand, she wanted to stay as close to Fleur as possible (being the only person she was even remotely comfortable around made Hermione ridiculously clingy), but she was afraid of making a fool of herself due to the Thrall. Her arm was now littered with bruises from where she had to repeatedly pinch herself throughout the day and even then she had fallen for the Thrall more times than she could count.

Luckily though, it seemed that most of the rituals that take place during a Veela's coming of age was for clan members only so she wasn't around Fleur too much. She and Gabrielle had spent most of the day in the library reading the girl's favorite stories. Of course, Hermione had been embarrassed when the girl had to pinch her ear to release her from the sudden Thrall. Hermione had scrambled out of the room after the Haze had cleared and she found herself still in her fur, humming into Fleur's chest.

Hermione grumbled slightly under her breath as she turned her gaze sharply away from the girl only to almost fall from her seat as she met the gaze of a very intense looking woman sitting across from her. They stared at one another for a moment before Hermione heard a voice in accented French beside her. **"** _Stop Andrée, you are scaring the poor girl._ **"** The brunette nearly jumped out of her skin and turned to look at the new woman only to bring her hand up to cover her nose. She couldn't do anything to stop herself from performing the rude gesture, instinct demanded it. She was barely able to stop herself from growling at the smell. It reminded her of…a wet dog?

The dark-skinned woman did not seem offended though and just laughed. "Girl, you don't smell like a field of roses to me either."

Hermione slowly brought her hands down. "You speak English?"

"Yep, I'm originally from America though, so my English is a little different than yours. Names Clara and I'm guessing you can smell the wolf seeing as I can smell the cat. This is Andrée and she's…"

"Veela. I can sense it. I'm Hermione"

"You can sense zee Veela?" The black-haired woman asked in astonishment.

"Uh…" Hermione realized her mistake when she noticed more people listening in on the conversation. "Yes? I also know it's wary of me, just like every other Veela I've met."

The two women looked at one another before busting out laughing. "Oui, zat will be because of zee cat. Basic instinct controls us just as much as you."

"You wouldn't believe how long it took everyone to like me and I've never known dogs and birds to not get along. Andrée was the only one I talked to for the longest time, but I'm pretty sure that's because her Veela is just weird." Hermione glanced up at the Veela in question as she felt it become annoyed. Clara just laughed, "Sorry, babe."

"I said the same thing to Fleur." Hermione stated without thinking. At their questioning glace she just sighed, _I've got to start thinking before I speak._ "She's the only one that really likes being around me. When she told me about Veela not liking cats, I told her that she was weird. Her Veela got annoyed as well."

"Yea, they don't like to be insulted. I have a little leeway with Andrée here, but I can't go around saying that to any other Veela."

"Is it because you two are mates?" Hermione said suddenly, hoping they were. Here was a chance to learn more about what she could expect, especially since Clara had a similar experience of being another creature. From Andrée's raised eyebrow though, she hadn't been as subtle as she thought.

"Oui, we are. I am guessing zat you know somezing about it from 'ow you talk."

Hermione could only wince.

"She told you? Already?" Andrée guessed. When Hermione didn't say anything, she narrowed her eyes and turned to glare in Fleur's direction. **"** _I thought I trained her to be more patient._ **"**

"It wasn't her fault." Hermione couldn't help but come to her defense. "I felt our magic reach out for one another and knew something was going on. We got to talking one day and I kinda forced her to tell me."

"You were able to sense zee bond?" Hermione couldn't understand why it was so hard to believe. Surely most witches and wizards were able to feel their own magic, right?

"No, Andrée, that makes sense. Kanaima are usually more in tune with the world. The wolf knew something was going on between us when…"

"Wait! Wait, what?" Hermione interrupted Clara who looked at her questioningly. "Kanaima? What's a kanaima?"

Clara just looked at her in confusion, "…you are? Aren't you? I mean, that's the only thing that makes sense. An animagus wouldn't smell of cat and a neko would be obvious. Although, I'm surprised you aren't twitchier when in human form. The Kanaima I met couldn't stand to remain human for too long."

Hermione just sat back in her chair, her mind turning the name over in her head. Kanaima. It didn't sound familiar to her, but that didn't mean much. She suddenly grinned. This could be a lead into finding out who she was, where she came from. She couldn't wait to tell Fleur.

Standing up suddenly from the table, Hermione grinned towards the pair, "Thank you so much. It was very lovely meeting the both of you, but I have to go." With that, she ran off towards the front table, excited to share her recent discovery.

As she left, Andrée turned to Clara with a questioning look, who just shrugged in return. Cats were weird.

-oOo-

Fleur sighed again as another Sister wished her a 'Happy Birthday'. The day had definitely not gone how she expected. Of course, she knew that she would be spending most of the day in the initiation rituals and would not have much time to herself, but she wished she had been able to spend more time with Hermione. At least, the Hermione she had grown used to.

All day, anytime they were around one another, Hermione either had to harm herself to avoid the Haze or she was under the Thrall's control completely. The Veela was ecstatic for some reason that Hermione was so susceptible to its Thrall and was determined to keep her under its control for as long as possible. This only served to piss Fleur off completely and she was determined to stay away from the girl for as long as possible.

This, in turn, served to anger the Veela and it punished her all day by sending her more risqué images. She could not count the amount of times Régine had to regain her attention during some of the more important rituals. That had been embarrassing because the looks she had received from all of the Veela present had indicated that they knew _exactly_ what she had been thinking. Naturally, the Veela was no help, it enjoyed getting her in trouble on a daily basis. How was this any different?

Speaking of the Veela, Fleur could feel it slowly become bored with their current situation. She knew that this was not a good thing. When the Veela became bored, it started to imagine and Fleur could guess what it would think of. Just as she braced herself for the onslaught of images she felt it still and suddenly croon. She groaned slightly under her breath; Hermione was near.

"Fleur! Fleur, guess what?!"

The blonde turned to her mate and felt her heart soar. Hermione looked so much happier now than she had the whole day. She smiled at the girl before freezing when she grabbed her wrist. In her excitement, Hermione forgot about their current predicament and they both were overwhelmed by the spike in magic.

Fleur was amazed when Hermione shook her head to rid herself of the Haze and tugged on her arm, trying to get her attention. "Fleur. Snap out of it. I think I figured out what I am!"

This immediately grabbed her attention. **"** _What? How?_ **"**

"I was talking to a Veela named Andrée and her mate, Clara. Did you know she is a werewolf? Anyways, we were talking about how weird Veela were…"

" 'ermione, slow down. What do you mean you were talking about 'ow weird Veela were?"

"Just that you guys were wary with other creatures. That's not important. Anyways, I asked them if they were mates and Andrée guessed that I knew more about it than I should. So I explained to her that I could feel my magic reach out to you and Clara called me a kanaima."

Fleur just looked at the girl in bewilderment, "A what?"

"A kanaima." Hermione grinned before she turned sheepish, "I'm not entirely sure what that is, but it's a start!"

"A kanaima. I 'ave never 'eard of it." Fleur tapped her finger to her chin. "Maybe zere is somzing in zee library on zem. We can look tomorrow if you like. Of course, we could always ask Clara for more information."

Hermione just stared at her before groaning. "I was so excited to tell you that I didn't even think of asking for more information."

Fleur laughed before moving her hand so she was holding Hermione's. "We will figure it out, 'ermione. Do not worry about it. 'owever, we will 'ave to do zis tomorrow. We are about to start."

"Start what?"

Before she could answer, Régine stood up and cleared her throat. Immediately, all noise in the tent died down as everyone turned their attention towards her.

" **Welcome, my Family! Today, we welcome a new Sister into the clan, my own granddaughter, Fleur."** Fleur smiled at all of the assembled Veela while Hermione hid slightly behind her. **"Before we continue the festivities, we have reached the portion of the night where we allow our new Sister to ask a single thing of us and, if it is within our power, we shall grant it. Fleur, have you thought about what you wish of your new Sisters?"**

Fleur looked around at all of those assembled. Truly, what more could she ask for? She had her family surrounding her. Her mate was already found and, not only did the girl know they were destined for each other, but she already accepted it! Just as Fleur was about to be one of the few Veela who do not make their wish, her Veela had a sudden thought that made her grin. She might not need anything, but somebody else does.

" **My Sisters. I have but one simple request to ask. My mate, Hermione, is currently without a family."** Fleur felt the girl shift behind her at the mention of her name. **"Through…unfortunate circumstances, she lost hers. Even though my family has taken her in, I know that she still feels like an outsider at times. I ask that we accept her into the clan early and allow her to take our clan name. This way, she knows that she has a family now and will never be without one again."**

" **She is not Veela. She cannot be admitted."** Somebody suddenly called out.

" **I agree. Even if we wanted to, we only accept members when they come of age. Never before."** Another voice.

Fleur shook her head. **"It would be the same as if she were a child of a Veela. She would have the protection of the Clan and carry our name, but would not have any say in any clan doings until after we are bonded."**

" **But she is a cat!"**

A thick silence reigned through the tent after that. Fleur became angry that most of them were willing to dismiss Hermione for the simple fact of her fur. She opened her mouth to speak when another voice spoke up.

" **I say let her in."** Everyone turned to see Andrée relaxing in a chair, smirking up at Fleur. **"Everyone deserves a family and this is a small request that we can fulfill. I see no harm in giving the girl our protection and our name."**

Fleur smiled at the weapon's expert and looked around at the gathered Veela. One at a time, they started nodding their heads, agreeing to the wish. She was able to see a few Veela that did not like the request. Some even turned their backs to her, showing their displeasure. Fleur felt her grandmother bristle at the disrespect, but said nothing.

After Régine deemed that the majority had agreed to Fleur's wish, she clapped her hands together. **"It is settled then. Hermione,"** the girl in question looked to the older woman. Fleur could only imagine her confusion. **"** _I know you probably have no idea what is going on, so do you mind if I explain it to you before I tell you our decision?_ **"** Hermione shook her head. Fleur could feel her become afraid for some reason and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

" _Hermione, when a Veela enters the Clan for the first time, they are able to request something from the Clan. If it is within the Clan's power, the wish is granted. Fleur's wish involved you._ **"** Hermione spared a quick glance at Fleur who smiled at her. **"** _Fleur told us that you have no family. Do not worry, she did not explain why. Your secret is safe._ **"** Régine smiled at her reassured sigh. **"** _Instead, she asked that you be admitted into the Delacour clan. We all will be your new family. This means that you will be recognized by all Veela, you will have the protection of our clan, and you will carry our name._ **"**

Fleur watched Hermione's eyes tear up. At first she was worried that she overstepped her bounds before the girl smiled at her. "You did that for me?" Fleur could only nod at her. Hermione took a deep breath before turning back to the older Veela. **"** _I would be honored to join your family, Régine._ **"**

Régine smiled before turning back to the crowd. **"** _I would like to introduce you all to Hermione Delacour, the newest member of our family._ **"**

-xXx-

 **AN:** I doubt anybody was surprised haha

 **Thanks for reading!**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

 **AN** **:** Hey guys. I've been outside shoveling snow all weekend and today so I haven't really had a chance to proof read the chapter. Forgive me if its full of mistakes. I also want to tell you that this begins my series of time jumps until we get to Hogwarts. I'm hoping that everything is well explained and moves smoothly, but I'm not confident in that. If you see something that you are confused on, let me know and I'll either pm you and explain or fix it in the chapter. I'm relying on you guys to help me out with this.

So, I love some (all) of the reviews I've received. I scared some poor person next to me in the library when I read from one of the guest reviewers that it reminded them of Tweety and Sylvester. Another asked if I'm going to have more Andree and Clara which is a solid YES. I like creating OC's so it makes me happy that other people enjoy them as well. Hey, Ninasa...thanks? Forgive me for my newness to FF, but that many reviews in so little chapters is good right? I'm more surprised that I haven't received a flame yet in all honesty. I've been expecting that from the beginning and the fact that I haven't gotten one yet is rather surprising for me.

That's it for me this week. Hope you guys enjoy.

 **Disclaimer:** HP isn't mine.

-xXx-

Hermione breathed out a sigh of relief as she relaxed on her bed after a long day of classes. She was two months into her new school year and she couldn't remember the last time she had ever been this exhausted. The thirteen year old wasn't sure if it was because of the month she skipped or the four months living on her own, but being back in a normal routine didn't feel right. It also didn't help that her entire way of doing magic had changed (apparently drastically) compared to the rest of the magical world.

In fact, school was almost boring for her. She had always been smarter than her age group (in both Muggle and Magical school) and she had had to challenge herself to stay entertained. At Hogwarts it hadn't been so hard to stay interested in her work because it had been so new (and they had the whole issue with the mystery of the Sorcerer's Stone and Professor Quirrell).

At Beauxbatons though, there weren't hardly any distractions. The routine was the same; get up, eat, go to class, eat, go to class, eat, go to bed. The same thing, day after day, for five days. There was no challenge to the classes anymore. Ever since she discovered her 'pushing' method, Hermione was always the first to master a spell. The teachers were all impressed and never gave her anything else to do meaning she was forced to sit there until her classmates mastered it. It wasn't like she could help them like she used to at Hogwarts either, their way of doing magic was different from hers.

Hermione found herself looking forward to the weekends before classes even had a chance to start on Monday. That was one thing that surprised her; Beauxbaton students were allowed to return home for the weekend. She supposed that Hogwarts didn't allow this since students came from all over the United Kingdom instead of a single country.

Still, going back to the Delacour Manor ( _Home,_ Hermione thought giddily) was such a relief. Of course, lessons didn't end just because it was the weekend and she was no longer in school. Weekends meant introductions into the Veela culture (which included basic lessons in their language), learning unusual forms of magic (like wand-making, ward construction, enchanting, and alchemy), and combat training. The first two were amazing to learn about, Hermione soaked up all the new knowledge like a sponge. The last though, she could honestly say, didn't interest her in the slightest.

Not that she didn't think it was a bad idea to learn another form of combat, it was just that nothing seemed to fit with her. One of the first lessons Andrée taught her was that everyone had a specialty. Some were amazing at hand-to-hand, some enjoyed short swords, long swords, staves, and others stuck with archery. No matter what was chose, in Veela culture, it was always recommended to have another form of defense besides the wand. The Harpy form was a last resort only.

So far, nothing really stuck out to her. However, holding a bow did seem familiar somehow. Hermione wasn't sure how though, it wasn't like she was any good. She couldn't hit any of the targets (one time the arrow even reversed direction in mid-air and came sailing back at them. Andrée had called it a day after that). The brunette came to the conclusion that the familiarity she had with them had something to do with her life before the blocker and was even more determined to figure it out. Although that was going a lot slower than she hoped.

She hadn't really had time to search the Delacour library for the term 'Kanaima'. The Beauxbaton's library (while not as big as Hogwarts') was so big that it would take a longer time than an hour or two every day to search all of the books. The few books she had been able to search hadn't given any clues. Hermione was quickly becoming discouraged with the whole thing.

Luckily, Fleur was there for her when the combined pressure of not knowing who she was and the monotony of being in a regular routine got the better of her. In fact, if it wasn't for Fleur, Hermione wasn't sure that she wouldn't have already made her escape back to the streets. Seeing the blonde every day, even if it was only for an hour or two during mealtimes and before bed, was enough for Hermione. Of course, she would love to spend all day with Fleur, but their schedules didn't allow for it.

Their schedules didn't allow for much really. Since Hermione was a Second Year and Fleur was in her Fourth, their breaks didn't line up and they could hardly see each other between classes. Hermione still remembered how upset Fleur had been when they realized how little time they would have to see each other. The Veela had been inconsolable, so Fleur told her, and when they did get to spend time together, it demanded that they be as close as possible. It wasn't uncommon to see them cuddled on a couch in one of their common rooms or holding hands exploring the schools grounds.

This was another reason that most of the students didn't like Hermione too much (her quick mastery of magic left a lot of them angry). Apparently, a lot of them really liked Fleur (the blonde had rolled her eyes in frustration when Hermione commented on this) and they saw her as some sort of threat. _As if they ever had a chance,_ Hermione thought in amusement. It also didn't help that her first week in the school Hermione apparently scared the shit out of one of the most popular Seventh Years. The brunette chuckled lightly into her pillows as she thought of the incident.

It had been the last class before lunch and, as was usual, Fleur had been waiting for Hermione outside of her classroom. The Veela's Thrall was still strong and most of the student body had been affected making Fleur agitated with everyone not named Hermione. Luckily, though, the brunette didn't fall for the Thrall much anymore and instead used it to determine Fleur's mood. That day, Hermione was able to feel the wild Thrall from inside the classroom. This had made her twitchy because the longer Professor Belaire had droned on, the more agitated and angry it became. From past experiences, Hermione knew that this meant both Fleur and the Veela were getting frustrated with something.

When the class had finally been dismissed, Hermione had gathered her things and raced outside only to come to a sudden halt as she realized what was annoying her mate. A rather attractive Seventh Year by the name of Jean-Claude Oris was standing in front of (and very, very close to) Fleur, a charming smile on his face as he was talking to her. He didn't seem deterred in the slightest from Fleur's scowl and piercing glare, even going so far as placing his hand on the wall beside her head. Hermione hadn't thought before she acted, the Thrall demanding she act and her instincts doing the same.

Within a second of seeing them, Hermione had dropped her bag and leapt towards them, changing to her fur in mid-bound. The screams from the shocked spectators hadn't even been released before Hermione had the boy flat on his back. Hermione could see the dazed look quickly leave the boy's face as he took in what had tackled him. The saber tooth had him fully pinned, both of her paws were placed on either side of his head. Hermione glared into his eyes, her lips pulled back revealing the full length of her canines as she snarled in his face. She wanted to make her message well-known and one he wouldn't forget; 'Don't touch Fleur'.

Jean-Claude had squeaked in fear as he took in the snarling feline and Hermione detected a faint acidic smell. The boy had pissed himself. This caused the saber tooth to growl deep in her throat. It was bad enough that he thought he had a chance with Fleur, it became worse when it was revealed that he was a coward.

Before Hermione could figure out what to do with the weakling, she felt a hand rest on the puffed fur at her nape. Without turning she knew it was Fleur. **"** _Enough, Hermione. Let him up._ **"** Hermione only growled deeper, not wanting to let the boy go with only a warning. She let loose a deep roar in his face which caused him to quake in fear and the acidic smell grew stronger. Hermione heard footsteps run off and doors slam closed, but paid them no attention.

" _Hermione._ **"** The saber tooth twitched her ears back at the sound of her name. Fleur sounded upset for some reason. Finally turning to look at the blonde, Hermione was shocked to see her face full of disappointment. Hermione had upset her mate somehow.

Before she could do anything, the saber tooth had felt Thrall wash over her and fill her senses. It had been a while since the Thrall had affected her that badly. She felt the disappointment thick in the Thrall and had no choice but to listen to it as it called for her to move. Hermione had let out a low call and got off of Oris, padding over to Fleur. She didn't look up to see the girl's face as she approached. Instead, she had circled around the Veela, pressing into her and calling lowly, hoping to portray how sorry she was for not obeying. Hermione hummed as she felt an arm wrap around her head and rub her neck, knowing that all was forgiven.

Without another word being said from anyone, Oris got up and raced away, never looking back at the two. Before Fleur could say anything to the saber tooth, a group of professors led by Madame Maxime walked up to the pair slowly, apprehension and disappointment making an interesting mixture on their faces. Hermione had gotten three weeks of detention (and most of the student body became afraid of her) for the stunt, but everybody stopped flirting with Fleur. A fair trade in her opinion.

Surprisingly, her threatening Oris had endeared her to the Veela that attended Beauxbatons. They no longer treated her like an outcast when she was around with Fleur and now went so far as to include her in their conversations. While most of her year mates stayed far away from her, the twelve year old Veela all looked to her as a leader for some reason when they were in class. Hermione was unsure if this was a good idea (her week with the young Veela in Delacour manor made her a tad leery of all fledglings). Fleur had just laughed when Hermione told her this and said that most Veela followed the Alpha in the room. Since Fleur was going to be Alpha when she was older, all of the Veela in school saw her as leader and when she wasn't around, the title fell to Hermione. The brunette only sighed, _Veela are weird._

The stunt didn't endear her to Maxime either. Fleur had thought that since Maxime learned about Hermione's fur, the headmistress would relax around the girl and treat her like she treats Fleur. This was not the case, however, as Maxime seemed to distrust the brunette even more. Of course, Hermione felt the same about the half-giantess so she didn't care too much.

Hermione thoughts were interrupted as she felt the bed dip. She smiled before turning to look up at the blonde. **"** _What are you doing up here by yourself?_ **"** Fleur said quietly.

Hermione shrugged, **"** _I was feeling claustrophobic during dinner so I figured I would come up here. Luckily, all of my roommates are afraid I will eat them so as soon as they enter, they turn around and leave._ **"**

" _My poor lioness._ **"** Fleur cooed and began to lightly scratch her skull. **"** _Tomorrow we leave for Winter Break and will not have to deal with these imbeciles for a month._ **"** Hermione smiled at the thought. She had never been so excited for a break from school.

-oOo-

Fleur looked down at the girl laying in her lap. They had sat there since dinner, talking, and it was now nearing midnight and Hermione had long since fallen asleep. The brunette's roommates had not said a word when they found her, only gave her a wary look before closing the curtains of their beds. Fleur knew she would probably get in trouble for being out of her own bed, but she couldn't find it in her to care.

Hermione had been worrying her ever since they started school. From their talk that first night so long ago, Fleur had thought that the girl loved school. The brunette often described how she always loved learning new things and challenging herself. This Hermione though was completely bored and couldn't wait to leave. Fleur noticed that the longer school went on, the more depressed Hermione became. She was not sure if the witch's entire attitude had changed since the blocker was taken off, but she was not acting like Fleur thought she would.

Hopefully, the girl's demeanor would change during their month break. Fleur was hoping that they would have time to look through the Delacour library for any mention of 'Kanaima'. They have not had a good chance to look through the Beauxbaton's library (Fleur felt the Veela grumble as they thought about how little time they have had with Hermione) and she knew that was another reason for Hermione's bad mood.

Fleur could only imagine how the brunette was feeling. Not knowing who she was, or even what she was for that matter, could not be easy. If only Hermione was comfortable enough to tell Régine about the Granger's and her life before the blocker. Fleur was sure that her grandmother could help them. Maybe she could convince Hermione to talk about it over break.

Of course, getting Régine by herself was going to be hard during the holiday. The older woman was always bombarded by Clan duties during the Winter Solstice and New Year. This did not even include the planning that needed to be done for each celebration. Fleur was positive though, despite being busy, that her grandmother would take a moment for them.

They would also have a chance to talk to Clara. The werewolf had been noticeably absent during the weekends (Andrée said she was called back to America for some Pack meeting) but she should return by the beginning of December. Fleur and Hermione were very interested in finding out what she knew.

Fleur smiled down at her mate as Hermione shifted to her fur in her sleep. She was honestly surprised that the saber tooth had never accidently cut her with her fangs while they were asleep, but she assumed that this had something to do with their bond. Hermione had the unusual ability to always know where she was at any given time, even while unconscious. Fleur resumed petting the feline's head as she continued thinking about the coming break.

Truth be told, Fleur was slightly worried that Hermione might become more depressed during the holidays. She knew that last December was the last time Hermione had seen her parents and she was worried that the holidays would bring up bad memories. Only time would tell though.

 _I promise you it will be alright,_ Fleur thought towards the sleeping cat. Hermione groaned in her sleep and shifted forward slightly, as if she was able to hear the thought.

Fleur smiled again and moved down the bed so she was lying face-to-face with the cat. She silently giggled as Hermione moved so their heads were touching slightly. _Even though she is not of age,_ Fleur thought, _she still wants to be close_. The Veela purred at the thought, becoming excited at the thought of its dreams coming true. Fleur chuckled at it before closing her eyes, _Soon. We need to help her first._

-oOo-

Hermione slowly woke up and just stared at the wall before her. Today was the 25th of December and she was honestly surprised that Gabrielle hadn't stormed into her room yet to wake her up. The young Veela had taken a lot of coxing to go to bed the night before, so Hermione had been expecting an early wake-up call.

The brunette was grateful that the youngest blonde hadn't done that. She wasn't really feeling in the Christmas spirit that morning. Hermione had felt herself grow more depressed as the break continued on. Her and Fleur had searched the entire library and hadn't come up with any mention of 'Kanaima'. Clara hadn't returned from America yet (Andrée had in fact flown out to be with her for the holiday) so Hermione wasn't able to pick her brain on the topic. And, lastly, this was the last month she had seen her parents and grandmother.

Of course, she knew deep down that the Granger's had already been planning on abandoning her at that point. She also knew that the only reason they had even been slightly nice was the arrival of Maria Granger. These facts didn't ease the pain though. Hermione had celebrated Christmas with the Grangers for twelve years (at least she had in her mind thanks to the memory charm on the blocker). She remembered the times when they were loving, when they cared about her, and when they had been a family. It was all gone now.

Hermione felt a cry build in the back of her throat before quickly covering her head with her paws. The saber tooth felt her claws come out and scrape the sheets below her as a low growl escaped. She got angry at herself for even caring about the dentists. _It's been seven months!_ she thought with a growl, _Why am I still letting them get to me?_

She tried to think of something else ( _think of Fleur,_ Hermione tried to convince herself), but instead a boy with messy black hair and piercing green eyes hidden behind round glasses came to mind. Since she had returned to school, Hermione had tried owling Harry at least once every two weeks. She double checked with Fleur to make sure owls could make it to Britain (when she confirmed it, Hermione had gotten angry at the boy) and immediately wrote a letter. All of the owls came back not carrying anything, indicating that while they had delivered their letters, nothing was given in return. _I guess he really did forget me,_ Hermione thought miserably. She had thought that they had something similar to a sibling relationship, but figured she had misread everything. She hadn't even bothered with Ron. Something told her that he wouldn't care.

Somebody entered her room quietly (not quietly enough to not disrupt her thoughts), opening and closing the door with barely a sound, and made their way over to her bed. Hermione couldn't find it in herself to move as she felt them climb onto the bed and lay down behind her. An arm made its way around her back and a head rested against hers.

" _It will be alright, Hermione. I am here._ **"**

Hermione moved slightly, resting more into Fleur and continued to stare at the wall. She knew that she was probably ruining Fleur's holiday spirit and that thought just proved to make her more depressed. The brunette didn't want to upset the Veela in any way, especially during such a special holiday.

Fleur rubbed her head gently against the saber tooth's. **"** _Stop worrying about me, Hermione. I am alright._ **"**

Hermione snorted in her head. Like she could ever stop worrying about the blonde. Ever since Fleur explained their bond, Hermione found herself thinking about the Veela most days. She wanted to know what the blonde was doing, what she was feeling, if she was happy, and if she was upset (Hermione hated it when she was upset). Every waking thought ( _and_ , Hermione thought with an internal blush, _sometimes while she was asleep_ ) was spent thinking of the blonde and how they could spend their days. The idea of 'stop worrying about her' was completely ridiculous.

Fleur chuckled slightly and began to slowly pet the feline. Nothing was said for a while and Hermione felt herself slowly fall back to sleep, her depressing thoughts calming at the soothing touch. Right before she fell fully asleep, she felt Fleur rub their heads together again. **"** _We should get up, my lioness. Our family must be worried about us._ **"** Hermione couldn't help but smile internally at that.

With a puff of breath, the saber tooth heaved herself out of bed and slowly made her way to the attached bath. After finishing her routine, Hermione left to find Fleur sitting on the edge of the bed, waiting for her. They stared at one another for a moment before the Veela stood up and drew her into a hug. **"** _Never forget that I am here for you, Hermione._ **"**

Hermione gave her a watery smile and together they made their way down the stairs towards the dining room. She had been informed the night before that the family eats breakfast before opening their Christmas gifts ( _Solstice gifts_ , she quickly corrected). On their way, Fleur grabbed ahold of her hand and laced their fingers together.

" _I want you to talk to Grandmaman later today._ **"**

The brunette came to a stop and gave her a questioning look. **"** _Why?_ **"**

" _She can help you…us. She can help us with searching for the 'Kanaima' and she can help you with dealing with the Granger's._ **"**

"I don't need help 'dealing' with anything, Fleur." Hermione scoffed at her.

The blonde just looked at her. "You are depressed, 'ermione. I can feel it. I do not want you to suffer anymore and Grandmaman can help. Please, talk to her."

Hermione looked down at their hands, struggling with her thoughts. She knew that Fleur was able to feel her emotions to a degree, but she had been unware that she could feel them that strongly. _It's not fair_. Hermione thought in sudden anger, _I'm never going to have a thought to myself. She will always know what's going on and I can't read her at all._

The brunette glanced up to see Fleur looking at her expectantly. The longer they stared at one another, the tighter Hermione's chest felt. It felt like the walls were closing in on her and she could hardly breath. _I need to get out_ , she thought in desperation.

Hermione ripped her hand out of Fleur's and bounded down the few remaining steps. She heard the Veela call out to her, but paid her no mind. Hermione ran down the hall and burst through the front door, changing to her fur in mid-leap, and landing roughly in the gathered snow. Without a glance back, the saber tooth sprinted for the woods, wanting the soothing presence of the trees around her.

-oOo-

Régine walked slowly through the woods, listening intently to the living beings in the forest. The creatures surrounding her chattered loudly in agitation, as if something large and foreign had torn through the woods recently, interrupting their daily routine. Régine could see the evidence of this fact. She was intently following the large paw prints left in the snow, looking at the chaos left behind, and hoping to find the saber tooth she knew was out there before night fall.

The older Veela could only imagine what Hermione had been feeling as she tore through the woods. The surrounding destruction showed rage (Régine could only glance sadly at the trees littered with claw marks and a snapped sapling on the ground), but she knew internally that Hermione was merely upset. She could only guess that it had something to do with her family that was gone (the Veela knew that Muggles celebrated the Solstice also) and that the holiday brought up bad memories for the girl.

She had been concerned when Damien had Floo'd that morning stating something about Fleur losing control and Hermione missing. Régine had immediately went to the house and saw her heir half transformed with Thrall whipping around her violently. Apolline had been struggling to control her fledgling, the young girl already stronger than her mother. Régine stepped in the moment she arrived and had to use the full force of her own Thrall to calm the girl down.

After ensuring that the fledgling would not run after Hermione, Régine had sent her Patronus to some of her Sisters and children to help look for the missing girl. She informed them that she would more than likely be in her fur and to inform her immediately when the saber tooth was found. Luckily, they asked no questions and agreed to the order immediately, knowing that finding her was of upmost importance.

That had been earlier this morning and it was now approaching evening and Régine was growing concerned. Despite being a large feline (on an apparent destructive rampage) and a lot of Veela living in the woods (not to mention those that were actively searching), Hermione was doing a very good job of hiding. That was amazing considering the trail of damage the girl had left behind.

Régine suddenly stilled as a glowing falcon landed on a tree branch to her left. The voice of her middle child came through the Patronus in a hushed tone, as if she was afraid of being discovered. **"** _I believe I found her, Mother. She is camouflaged on top of the rocky outcropping northwest of my house._ **"** Régine took off in the direction of Laurette's house, intent on finding out what caused all of this.

Upon arriving at the location (and greeting a crouched Laurette), it took her a few moments to locate the saber tooth. It was amazing how well the feline could blend into the environment despite being a light brown in a grey landscape. Hermione was curled up on a large rock, covered in snow, her back facing the direction Régine came. **"** _I have no clue how you found her,_ _ **"**_ Régine informed her child quietly, **"** _but thank you._ _ **"**_ The woman merely smiled in return before quietly heading home, knowing the elder would not need any help beyond this point. Régine took a deep breath and started walking towards the feline.

When she thought she was close enough, Régine called out lowly, **"** _Hermione?_ **"** The saber tooth did not move, her ears twitching back being the only indication the Veela had that she was even heard. Régine assumed this meant that she was able to approach and moved until she was by the cat.

For a long time, Régine sat beside her, unsure of what to say. The feline radiated 'sadness' and without knowing what caused it, the Veela was not sure what to do. The only thing she could think of was to just be there for the girl, let her know that she was not alone. Eventually, the saber tooth moved to rest her head in Régine's lap, finally acknowledging her presence.

Régine rested her hand on her head, **"** _Will you change back so we can talk? We are worried about you,_ ma petite. **"**

Hermione heaved a sigh and transformed back, keeping her head in the woman's lap and clenched her hand in Régine's loose pants.

" _Can you tell me what happened?_ **"**

Régine became alarmed as she felt the girl heave a sob and tears soon soaked through her pants. She leaned over the young girl, wrapping her arm around her shoulders while making soothing sounds. **"** _Shhh,_ ma petite, _shhh. It will be okay. I am here. I am here._ **"**

Hermione pressed her face tighter into the woman's leg. The morning's stress had caught up to her and after she had raged her way through the forest, there was nothing stopping the tears. Her mind was a whirlwind of suffering. Her thoughts bouncing between her parents, her feline mother, and running away from Fleur. Régine could sense her distress and could do nothing but show that she was there for the girl.

Eventually, the tears slowed and Hermione turned to look out into the woods. Régine felt her take a shaky breath before speaking. "Today was the last day my parents told me that they loved me."

Régine just stilled, not knowing how to respond to that. Hermione chuckled bitterly before continuing, "Of course, I now know it was only for show." The girl turned to look up at Régine briefly before turning back to the forest.

"They moved away a few months later while I was still at Hogwarts, even going so far as to selling their dentist practice so I couldn't find them." Hermione clenched her hands tighter.

"When I realized that they had left me behind, I made my way to Leon to stay with my Grandma, but she had passed away before I got there." Tears started streaming down her face. "Her neighbor found me in the lobby and took me to her apartment only to call the cops. I was afraid they would take me to an orphanage so I ran away."

Hermione looked up at Régine again. "Then, after I was just getting used to living on the streets, you and your family finds me and it seems like I got a second chance. But then Damien finds out that I have some sort of blocker on me and suddenly I realize that everything I knew was a lie. The Granger's were never my family and I was literally ripped away from my true family when I was young. Now, I have no clue who I really am, or even _what_ I am, and have an entire set of memories that I don't know if they are true or not."

The girl gazed away from the shocked woman. "I just feel so…lost. I don't know what to do."

Régine felt her heart break. She knew that it was something terrible that had left Hermione out on the streets, but what was just told to her was beyond devastating. Family, especially fledglings, were the single most important thing to Veela. The thought that somebody would just _abandon_ one (particularly one as kind and sweet as Hermione) to fend for themselves enraged her.

Régine leaned over and kissed the girl's cheek, hoping to portray that she was not alone any longer. Hermione glanced up and gave a small smile. "You wanna know what the worst part is? I ran away from Fleur this morning because she wanted me to talk to you and I was too afraid to do it. I got so mad at her because she always knows what I am feeling and thinking and I can do nothing to stop it."

"She only wants what is best for you and she knew zat I could 'elp."

Hermione just shook her head, "But that's just it. I've been on my own for so long, way before I went to Hogwarts, that I'm used to taking care of myself. People would only tell me to do something if it benefited them somehow. When Fleur ordered me this morning to talk to you, I thought it was because she was sick and tired of feeling me feel sad over this and it made me mad."

Régine just sighed. _I should have realized that my strong-willed heir would have a just as strong-willed mate. They will definitely be an interesting pair in the future._ " 'ermione…"

"No, I know it was silly. I know she cares about me and wants what is best, but that was just all I could take at that point. I had to leave and calm down."

"But it did not work."

Hermione sighed and looked out into the woods, tears falling from her eyes again, "No, it didn't."

Régine tenderly brushed the curls from Hermione's face, "Ma petite, I cannot explain why zose people," she barely stopped herself from spatting out the word, "left you like zey did. To me, to zee Veela, zat is almost a worst crime zan murder."

She took a deep breath, unsure if this was the right thing to say or not, "I cannot begin to understand what you 'ave gone zrough in your young life, but at zee same time, you must not dwell on zee negative. Zink about all of zee good zat has happened since zen. You 'ave a new family, one zat loves you more zan anyzing, a new 'ome, a new life."

"I have Fleur."

Régine smiled, "Oui, you 'ave Fleur and she loves you more zan anyzing, even if she does not know it yet. You may not know what you are, but we can figure it out togezer. Zese Granger's may 'ave abandoned you, 'oping zat you would be alone, zat you would be lost, but know zat it will never happen. You are a member of zee Delacour Clan now and as long as we exist, you will never be alone again."

Hermione wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled up at the older woman. Régine smiled back, hoping that she was making some headway with the girl.

"You are not alone, 'ermione. Which means zat you do not 'ave to deal wiz anyzing on your own anymore. Please, if you ever feel overwhelmed like zis again, talk to me. Talk to Fleur. Talk to Apolline or Damien. Talk to somebody, just do not become so overwhelmed zat you feel lost. You worried us all today, especially Fleur. We can 'elp you, 'ermione, but only if you let us."

Hermione sat up and pulled the older woman into a hug, whispering 'I'm sorry' over and over again. Régine was reminded briefly of when they were at the beach and she had offered the girl a home. She just realized that the girl thought she had simply meant a place to stay.

"It will be alright, 'ermione. I promise zat it will all be okay."

They sat there for a moment until a cool wind blew through and Hermione shivered. It was only then that Régine noticed she was only in a thin, long sleeve shirt and jeans. "Come 'ermione, let us go 'ome. Our family is probably worried about us." Hermione simply smiled at her and nodded.

As they walked towards the manor, Régine thought about all that was revealed to her. She knew that this would not be the last time they talked about what had happened, but she hoped that this would help convince Hermione to come and talk to them in the future. For the first time in a long time, Régine felt her Veela rise up and produce a thought which she could not help but agree to. If she ever found the Granger's (and she would begin actively searching for them immediately), she would make them wish that they had never tried to run away.

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

 **AN:** Please don't kill me for the length of this chapter. I have a good explanation...I swear. When I was writing the last chapter, I loved the way it ended so I left it alone and started on this chapter. But, as I was writing it, I realized that there really wasn't much to say on the topic and I expanded it as much as possible. I then thought that I could add the next chapter to it, but it was such a dramatic change in topic that I couldn't justify putting them together. Hence, a 2000ish word chapter. Forgive me?

 **Disclaimer:** *sigh* I've got to say...I really hate doing this. I don't own Harry Potter. Nothing has changed.

-xXx-

Fleur found herself pacing, once again, in front of the fireplace in the library, worried to death about her missing mate. The sun was just beginning to set and the girl had been missing since that morning with her grandmother leaving to find her soon after. She could tell that her mother was even becoming concerned, especially since it was _Régine_ (the one person to know the forest better than anyone) who still had not found her.

The blonde had spent all day thinking about what had happened, _what she had said_ , that had set the girl off. Hermione had been so depressed that morning and all Fleur wanted was to help her. She just wanted her mate to feel at ease around them without the pain of the Grangers' abandonment hanging over her head. She thought that her grandmother would be the best person to help with that pain. _Hermione obviously did not feel the same,_ Fleur sadly thought.

It had only been because of a very strict command given by the Alpha that stopped Fleur from succumbing to her inner Veela. The creature (and Fleur herself if she was honest) had felt its heart stop as they watched Hermione race away from them. She had been very lucky that she had been able to inform her family of what had happened before it could take full control.

Since that time, Fleur had been in an almost constant state of panic. The only thing that relieved her slightly was knowing that the girl was (relatively) alright. The feeling her soul was producing reminded her of when the Veela first woke up. She knew that the girl was physically fine, but emotionally, Hermione was hurting terribly.

Luckily, her parents had put the Solstice celebration on hold (Gabrielle had been surprisingly understanding about the entire thing). Fleur was not feeling up for the holidays and no one wanted to celebrate anything while a member of their family was missing. After a meager breakfast (Apolline had forced her to eat), they had gone to the library to await their missing family members and (hopefully) keep the Veela calm in the familiar setting.

Fleur immediately stopped her pacing and spun around when she heard the library door open. She breathed a sigh of relief as Hermione walked into the library looking half froze, but unharmed. There was nothing that could stop her from running over to the girl and pulling her into a tight hug. Fleur felt the Veela start to purr in relief as they held their mate in their arms once more.

" _Merlin, Hermione! Are you alright? I was so worried when you ran off. Please forgive me, Hermione. I am so sorry! I did not mean to…_ **"**

Hermione returned the tight embrace, effectively cutting her off at the same time. "No, Fleur. I'm sorry. This morning was so hard and I misunderstood what you were saying. I-I didn't mean to worry you, I just didn't know what else to do."

Fleur felt tears well in her eyes as she heard Hermione's broken tone. She briefly glanced up at her grandmother (who gave her a small, sad smile before walking to where the rest of their family waited) and knew that the girl had revealed her sad tale. Not knowing what to say, Fleur hugged the girl tighter and felt her heartbreak slightly as she felt tears soak thru her blouse.

Pulling back as she felt the girl begin to shiver, Fleur gently took hold of the Hermione's face and wiped her tears away. Watery amber met blue and Fleur smiled briefly before she took hold of the girl's hand and dragged her to the fireplace, hoping that it would help her get warm.

Hermione leaned into her as they sat on the couch in front of the fire and Fleur unconsciously wrapped her arm around her waist. The blonde could not help but breathe a sigh of relief at the brunette's need for closeness. Whatever had caused her to run away that morning (Fleur still was not sure what Hermione had misunderstood) had apparently been forgiven and their relationship was still going strong. Now if only she could help the girl through her depression, their lives would be perfect.

-oOo-

As soon as she had sat down, Hermione looked shyly at Apolline and Damien. **"** _I am sorry for ruining your Solstice celebration. I…_ **"** Hermione looked down ( _and making your lives difficult,_ she thought bitterly) and clenched her hands in shame, **"** _I woke up remembering…bad things and I just…could not handle it._ **"**

Apolline reached over and placed her hand on Hermione's clenched fists reassuringly. **"** _You do not have to explain yourself, Hermione. We just want you to be happy, that is all._ **"**

Hermione gave her a small smile in return. Gabrielle (who had been uncharacteristically quiet the entire day) looked around at the assembled group before speaking up. **"** _Does this mean we can open presents now?_ **"**

" _Gabrielle!_ **"** Apolline looked at her youngest daughter in shock and anger. Surely the young girl knew something had happened that day and Solstice was the _last_ thing on everybody's mind.

Hermione just smiled thankfully at the young girl, **"** _I would like that._ **"** _That should cheer everyone up and help me forget this awful day,_ she thought _._ She blushed and glanced down in embarrassment as she saw the surprised looks the family glanced her way. **"** _That is, if everybody else is alright with it._ **"**

Régine smiled before pulling out her wand and flicking it, summoning the gifts from under the large tree located in the living room. The gifts were distributed amongst the family members and Gabrielle did not hesitate as she ripped into her gifts. Hermione felt her eyes widen as a pile formed in front of her. She had never imagined that the family would give her this much.

Hermione couldn't help but take her time opening each and every gift. She had never been one to just tear the paper off in her haste to get to the prize underneath (like young Gabrielle was currently doing). Nevertheless, it was more about wanting to take her time enjoying a joyous holiday with people who actually (as she was finding out) _loved_ her that made her want to take her time.

Eventually she got down to the bottom of the pile and noticed a slim, rectangular package. She became even more curious when she picked it up and Fleur tensed up beside her. Glancing quickly at the blonde (who gave her a small smile that came out more like a grimace), Hermione carefully took the paper off and gasped when she saw what Fleur had given her.

The magical drawing in the handmade wooden frame was simply beautiful. Fleur had hand drawn the scene from their first time in the forest. A very detailed Saber Tooth could be seen climbing trees, playfully tackling, and laying about with a beautiful Veela. The image was only in black and white, but when Hermione looked at it, she was able to remember clearly the dark blue plumage of the Veela and the multitude of greens and browns that surrounded them.

 _She must've spent ages on this,_ Hermione thought in wonder. She turned to look at her mate only to see Fleur looking very nervous for some reason. The brunette smiled broadly at the nervous Veela and pulled her into a hug. "It's perfect, Fleur. Thank you so much!" Fleur said nothing, but smiled and took hold of the picture, turning it over to show Hermione the small inscription on the back. The label 'Cat and Bird: Not Enemies After All' caused Hermione to chuckle.

Hermione glanced over to see if Fleur had found her own gift only to notice that the blonde hadn't started opening her gifts yet. She gave her a questioning look only to receive a blush in response. "I was worried about zee drawing and if you would like it."

The brunette could see Apolline roll her eyes, "Zat is silly, Fleur. Open your gifts. I want to see what you got."

With a playful huff, Fleur grabbed the first package and opened it up. Hermione couldn't help but smile internally as she took in the amount of books the blonde received. She had been surprised when Fleur had admitted to being a sort of bookworm herself and Hermione could only chuckle as she thought of her own love of books. It had just been one more thing that they had in common.

Hermione felt her palms begin to sweat as Fleur took hold of a long, slim package. She had worked hard on her gift for weeks and (now that she thought about it) she was worried that it was a little too cliché.

Fortunately, Fleur seemed to like it as her face broke out into a large grin as she took the glass rose out of its case and turned it in the firelight. Hermione was just able to see the pinkish sheen of the glass before it turned into a circaea before their eyes causing the other Delacours to gasp. Hermione could only sigh as Fleur turned to look at her questioningly.

"It does that and I have no clue why. I wanted it to rotate between a few different flowers, but I guess I pushed too much magic into the spell because now it just changes at random."

"Zat is advanced spell work, 'ermione." Apolline gazed at the flower in Fleur's hand in wonder, " 'ow did you manage it?"

Hermione just shrugged. "I usually do independent studies during Transfiguration to keep myself from growing too bored. Professor Musson and I were discussing theory one day and I asked how to keep an object transfigured forever. He said it was easier for a transformed object to maintain the transformation if the original object and the transfigured object were the same material. So, I transfigured the original flower out of a glass rod." Hermione indicated towards the glass flower which had since transformed into an amethyst. "I also had to talk to the Ancient Runes professor on finding a rune to help maintain the transfiguration.

"I then asked him how to have an object change shapes at random. He went into a very detailed explanation of some Transfiguration Perception theory that frankly went over my head. I decided to just 'push' my magic and hope it would work itself out." Hermione smiled at Fleur, "I'm happy it did."

"I am 'appy too. I love it, 'ermione. It is très belle! Zank you so much!" Fleur pulled Hermione into a hug, making sure to place the delicate flower (which transformed into an acacia before she laid it down) back into the box.

Hermione glanced over to see the shocked older Delacours. She hadn't ever really talked about what she got up to in school with them (truthfully she didn't think they would've cared) so she wasn't surprised at their shock. The flower had been some rather advanced magic and she was even surprised that it worked as well as it did. Of course, the flowers it changed into randomly were questionable, but she could only assume that that was because she hadn't been clear enough in her intent.

Damien picked the flower up (a beautiful coreopsis) and gently turned it around in his hand, "This is amazing, Hermione! I bet you're impressive in Charms and Defense, also."

Hermione just shrugged again, "I guess. Charms is more about theory and I used to love it back in Hogwarts, but for some reason I can't find an interest in it now. In fact," Hermione tapped her finger to her chin in thought, "it's like my entire way of thinking has changed since then. Not surprising really." She smiled sadly at Régine who gave her a small smile in return. "Defense, on the other hand, is amazing! I guess it's because of my fur, but my response time has increased so much that hardly anyone can land a hit. And I love the challenges Professor Chez presents every class."

"It could be that your reflexes are kept while in human form." Damien gave her a sly glance, "Maybe I could interest you in coming to the bank one day. Perhaps see if you're interested in Curse Breaking."

Apolline slapped her husband lightly on the shoulder while Hermione grinned, "Zere is no need to recruit while she is so young. 'ermione will make 'er own choice wizout your influence. It is bad enough zat you corrupted Fleur." The girl in question just gave her mother a toothy grin. "Zankfully, my precious Gabby does not listen to you to be influenced by your dangerous ways." The youngest Delacour proved this fact true by not paying attention to the conversation and instead played with the animated toys she had received for Solstice. "I can only 'ope zat 'ermione is smart enough to just ignore you." Hermione and Fleur laughed at the banter while Damien pulled his wife in for a kiss.

Régine looked at her family fondly before glancing up at the grandfather clock in the room. Sighing as she saw the time, the older blonde stood up with a groan, **"** _Well, I must be leaving. I expect to see you all tomorrow night for our Celebration._ **"**

The two adults smiled their agreement and Gabrielle ran over to hug her grandmother goodbye. Fleur did the same and whispered a small 'Thank You' into the woman's ear. Régine smiled in return before turning to Hermione.

The young girl just smiled bashfully and fiddled with her fingers. "Thank you, Madame Delacour…er…Régine. For everything."

Régine pulled the brunette in for a hug and pet the girl's wild curls. "You are very welcome, 'ermione. Just remember, talk to one of us so zis does not 'appen again."

Hermione nodded up at her and stepped back beside Fleur. "I will. This won't happen again. I promise."

With a parting smile, Régine made her way out of the library. A few moments later, Mipsy popped into the room, informing them that dinner would be served shortly. As she got up to follow Apolline and Damien out of the room, Hermione grabbed hold of Fleur's hand. She just smiled at the questioning look she received and continued walking out of the room, Fleur walking beside her and lacing their fingers together. There was nothing to say really. Hermione was just happy to be spending the holidays with her family.

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

 **AN** : Yep...I'm just...I'm just gonna leave this here.

 **Disclaimer:** Still don't own Harry Potter. That hasn't changed in the past two hours.

-xXx-

Hermione found Fleur and herself forced outside, required to build an army of snowmen, on the 31st of December. This wasn't through any fault of her own or of Fleur's really. Rather, they had been assigned to keep a young, mischievous, blonde whirlwind named Gabrielle entertained for the day. At first she thought it would be easy (Hermione never really caught the horrified look on Fleur's face when Apolline told them this assignment), but her mind soon changed.

Gabrielle hadn't been too pleased that she had been forced outside after breakfast. Apparently, she had been excited to 'help' with the last minute decorations for New Years and had run out of the room in a normal six year old induced tantrum. Fleur and Hermione's first mission was to find the girl and herd her out of the house. Their second was to keep her there.

They had eventually found her in the library, hiding amongst the shelves. Through much pleading (bribing) from the older girls, Gabby happily agreed to go with them. Hermione was more amused than aggravated when she was demanded to change into her fur and carry the girl out of the manor like a royal steed with a princess.

The young Veela chose to spend her day building snowmen (and Hermione used that term loosely because some didn't resemble a snowman at all). Hermione had rather enjoyed making the first snowman. She had never had the time to spend the day outside and play like a kid so she enjoyed the difference. By the seventh snowman though, Hermione had had enough.

She had been rather surprised when Fleur told her that Apolline wanted her daughters to be efficient in one of the arts. This was the reason Fleur could draw so well, her mother encouraged her since she was young. Gabrielle, on the other hand, enjoyed sculpting (Fleur told her that the girl liked getting dirty rather than the art itself).

Hermione assumed that it was because of this that Gabby spent so much time on all of the snowmen, carefully crafting each detail before giving a battle cry and charging into the sculpture, completely demolishing it. She also assumed that this was the reason that neither she nor Fleur were allowed to touch the snowmen. Their jobs were to gather snow and shape them how Gabrielle commanded them to, that's it.

Fleur gave her an exasperated look as they carefully shaped another rather large cube out of snow. This was the twelfth one they had done and Hermione could tell that Fleur had almost reached her limits. The older blonde flinched as another scream resounded from Gabby and they were covered in the remains of the girl's latest creation.

"I do not know 'ow much more I can take, 'ermione." Hermione could barely hear her mate over the shrieks and giggles of the snowman murderer.

Hermione looked up at the sky to try and judge what time it was, but could only determine it was sometime after noon. Glancing towards the young Veela to see that she wasn't paying attention to them, the brunette turned back to Fleur and whispered, "How much longer do you think we have?"

Fleur grimaced, "At least until dusk." Hermione felt like she could cry.

Before they could figure out something to do, they heard Gabrielle give a joyous shout, "Zoé!"

Fleur and Hermione turned around to see a dark-skinned young girl meet Gabrielle in a crushing hug. Both of them gave a sigh of relief; they were saved. Hermione looked on as the two young girls chatted animatedly for a while before chasing each other in the snow.

"You guys look happy we're here."

Hermione turned around to see Clara and Andrée walking towards them, both women smiling at the children. The brunette smiled in return and saw Fleur wave at them from the corner of her eye. She soon forgot about keeping Gabrielle entertained (Zoé, was doing a better job than them) and started making a mental list of all the questions she wanted to ask Clara. Here was her chance to learn more about Kanaima and she wasn't going to let it slip away.

"We're very happy to see you." Hermione told them as they approached, "In fact, I've been wanting to talk to you since break began."

The brunette snurled up her nose slightly as the smell of wet dog wafted towards her, but, luckily, it didn't affect her as bad as last time. Clara still saw the gesture though and just winked at her. "So Andrée has told me. If you've got time now we can talk."

"Zat would be appreciated, Clara. Zank you." Fleur stepped forward and gave the woman a smile.

Hermione glanced back at the kids, making sure they were kept busy before turning back to the women. "At Fleur's birthday, you called me a Kanaima. I was hoping you would tell me more about them."

Clara gave her a curious look. "You mean you don't know about your own species?"

This caused Hermione to hesitate. She didn't really want to reveal her past to a(n almost) complete stranger, but it seemed sort of necessary to get the information she needed. Looking towards Fleur for moral support (who just gave a sad look and shrugged her shoulders), Hermione took a deep breath and said, "Not really. I was taken from my mother when I was really young so I just have vague memories of her or the people I grew up with. I wasn't even sure what I was until you said 'Kanaima' at the party and even then, I'm not sure if that's what I truly am."

Clara and Andrée gave her a horrified look. **"** _Please tell me you know who the bastard who took you was._ **"** Andrée said, rage present in her voice. **"** _They should not be allowed to continue living for doing something like that._ **"**

" _Grandmaman is looking into it._ **"** Hermione turned to see Fleur have a firm look on her face.

Andrée nodded, satisfied at the action. **"** _I will see if she needs any help. I have a few connections that we could use._ **"**

Clara crossed her arms in front of her chest, "Thank you for sharing with us, Hermione. Like Andrée said, we'll try to help as much as possible. First off, do you mind changing to your cat form? That way I can be absolutely sure that you are Kanaima."

Hermione nodded her agreement and quickly shifted to her fur. She sat back on her haunches and looked up at the werewolf. Clara walked around her quickly before nodding her head. "Yep, from my limited knowledge, you seem to be a Kanaima. At least, you look and smell like one. Now, mind you, I've only met one Kanaima in my life and only talked to him for about a month so I probably don't know as much information as you think."

Hermione shifted back. "That's okay. Could you tell me what you learned?"

Clara nodded in agreement. "Alright. About twenty years ago, I was sent to South America to negotiate with the local werewolf pack. When I got there, I was surprised to find out they had an, apparently, tamed tiger walking around. Imagine my shock when it came up to me and shifted into a man before my eyes." Clara chuckled slightly and shook her head. "He was a very nice guy in all honesty. Introduced himself as Nero and informed me that he was a creature known as a Kanaima, a cat-like species that lived in the nearby jungle. Apparently, he had willingly left his tribe to learn more about the outside world and was only temporarily staying with the Pack."

Hermione screwed her face up in confusion. "So I'm from a jungle in South America?"

"It kind of makes sense." Fleur looked at her. "You said zat you remembered a large forest, birds calling, and anozer animal zat you could not remember. It could be zis jungle."

"That's what I would guess." Clara inputted. "I've been around the world and have never encountered another Kanaima so that's where I would start searching if you were to go looking for them. Anyways, he and I got to talking and he happily told me about his species as long as I agreed to take him to North America when I left."

"Zis Nero is currently in Norz America?" Fleur couldn't help asking.

Clara just shrugged. "Have no idea, to be honest. We parted ways at the airport and I've never heard from him again."

Hermione gestured, anxious to hear more, "Please, Clara. What did he tell you?"

"As I said before, the Kanaima are cat-like creatures, but they usually take the form of a jaguar, panther, tiger, or lion as far as I'm aware. According to Nero, the form of the cat represents the inner strength of the Kanaima."

"So, I'm a Saber Tooth…meaning…?"

"I'm not sure what it means exactly. It could mean that you are stronger than an average Kanaima. It could also show that Nero was just pulling my leg, trying to make himself seem more powerful since he was a tiger. I'm guessing it has more to do with genetics and randomness than some 'inner strength'. Anyways, Kanaima spend most of their time in cat-form and grow uncomfortable when in human form for too long."

Hermione nodded, "I've felt that way sometimes. But I think it's different for me since I spent most of my life in human form. I only get uncomfortable in large crowds."

"Could be. Either way, Kanaima only have the two forms; the Cat and the Human. Luckily their, err, your senses, instincts, and reflexes are the same in both forms. You should've noticed by now that you're faster than the average witch or wizard." Clara waited until Hermione nodded before smirking. "Yea, you're lucky with that. I only have the wolf's abilities around the full moon. Another thing that Kanaima can do, and Nero liked to show it off, is that you can, sort of, possess things."

"I'm sorry, possess things?" Hermione found that hard to believe.

"I would say it is more like the Imperious Curse or even hypnosis more than possession. Nero would find a creature in the forest, it didn't seem to matter what species, and would kind of stare into its eyes until it became dazed. It would then do whatever he commanded until he released it." Clara looked to the sky in contemplation. "I definitely can't explain it very well. If you wanted to practice the ability, I would recommend reading up on Legilimency and Occlumency. I figure those techniques are pretty close to the possession abilities the Kanaima have."

"What's Legilimency and Occlumency?"

"Legilimency is zee art of mind-reading while Occlumency is zee art of defending one's mind from being read." Andrée spoke up. "Zere are some 'oo say zat if you go deep enough into somebody's mind, zat you can inforce your will upon zem, but I do not zink so. Matilde could teach you in eizer."

Hermione gave Fleur a questioning look at the name. "She is my great-aunt, Grandmaman's sister. You probably met 'er briefly at my party. We can ask Grandmaman to ask 'er to teach us."

The brunette smiled in agreement before turning back to Clara. "What else did he tell you?"

"Nero didn't say anything else about his abilities so I don't know what else you can do. Instead, he spent the rest of the time telling us stories. He told us that the reason the Kanaima had to remain hidden in the jungle was because they had been spotted by Muggles one too many times and they started hunting them. Apparently, there is an old Muggle legend that talks about Kanaima being evil spirits that can possess people, turning them into vengeful cannibals or something."

Hermione grimaced at the thought but had to ask, "Can they even possess people? You said that Nero only possessed animals."

Clara nodded, "Nero said that he could, but only if his will was greater than theirs. However, that skill is strictly forbidden. Nero said that there was only one case that it was allowed and that was when a chief's tribe was in danger. Even then, the chief only possessed the leader of the invaders and ordered them to leave. Ordering somebody to take their own life like that is disgraceful. Kanaima are warriors. To have an enemy take their own life through possession would shame the individual and they would be forced into exile."

Hermione nodded her understand before something else popped into her mind. "Would their preferred weapon be a bow perhaps?"

"Yes, actually, it is. Nero was amazing with a bow. Hit the bull's eye every time. He never commented on it though so I don't know when the skill is taught."

Well that explained her familiarity with bows. "I must be different then. I can't shoot a bow to save my life."

Andrée laughed, remembering all of the different times Hermione tried and failed to hit the targets. Clara smiled, "I'm sure you'll get there."

Before anything else was said, a cry of "Momma!" resounded through the area. Everyone quickly turned around, looking for what caused one of the girl's to cry out, only to relax as they saw the smiles on their faces. Young Zoé ran up to Clara and looked up. "Momma, can we go inside now? We're cold."

Hermione looked over to see Gabby shivering dramatically, even leaning into Fleur to try and find some warmth. She determined that they had been talking for maybe an hour and it was nowhere near time to let the blonde whirlwind back into the house. Fleur's face must've mirrored her thoughts because Andrée chuckled. "Do not worry, we can keep zem entertained enough so zey do not get in Apolline's way."

Fleur and Hermione both breathed a sigh of relief, anxious to get in out of the cold. Quickly agreeing, they set off for the manor, the two girls running ahead of them. As they approached the front door, Hermione held Clara back for a minute.

"I just wanted to say thank you for telling me about the Kanaima."

Clara smiled and brought her in for a hug. "It's no problem, Hermione. I just wish I could help more."

Hermione thought for a moment, desperately wanting to ask her question but worried that it might be too much. Finally deciding to go with her gut, she said, "When I'm older, would you mind going with me to South America? I would like to find this tribe and see if I'm truly from there. I might even find out who my mother was or she might even be there."

The werewolf gave her a small smile, "We would be more than happy to go with you and Fleur." At her questioning glance, Clara just laughed. "You didn't really think that Fleur would let you go alone did you?"

Hermione just shrugged, "I figured she would be too busy when I'm old enough that she couldn't go."

The dark-skinned woman wrapped her arm around Hermione's shoulders and led her into the manor, laughing the entire time, "You have a lot to learn about being mated to a Veela. A _LOT_ to learn."

-oOo-

Fleur found herself bored out of her mind in the middle of the New Year's party. It was currently in full swing and all she wanted to do was hide. The blonde briefly wondered if she could get away with sneaking off, but decided it was not worth risking.

Her boredom was not due to the lack of company. Hermione had stuck close to her for most of the night and a lot of her friends and cousins had come and talked to them. It was not even due to the lack of entertainment. Music was playing, people were dancing, and the children were partaking in some silly card game while the adults played the mature form of it nearby. She had even convinced Hermione to dance with her at one point during the night. The girl had been embarrassed for the first few songs, but afterwards had started to enjoy it and they had danced until their feet hurt. That had been the highlight of her night so far.

No, her boredom was mostly due to the Veela being bored (which honestly did not make any sense to her). The Veela had made it very clear that it did not want to participate in the party earlier and had refused to enjoy it at all. To retaliate against Fleur for being there (as if she had a choice in the first place), it had sent her embarrassing and raunchy images all night causing her to blush and unwillingly release Thrall.

In fact, it was almost torture for her to be around Hermione sometimes. The Veela kept whispering to her, suggesting they find a nice, quiet room away from all the guests, where it could just be the two of them. It was _very_ interested in dancing with Hermione again away from all the watchful eyes.

Fleur shook her head violently, trying to dislodge the embarrassing (wonderful) image that was brought forth. She felt Hermione shift subtly beside her, probably sensing the sudden Thrall in the air. She quickly chastised the Veela (damn thing just laughed at her) as her face burned.

"Are you okay?" Hermione whispered beside her.

"Oui, 'ermione. I am fine."

"Are you sure? That was like, the fifth time I detected Thrall since the party started. Is the Veela causing you problems?"

Fleur could only sigh (some in relief that Hermione had not detected _all_ of the times Thrall was released) because she realized that there was going to be no way to hide anything from the girl. "Oui. It did not want to be at zis party in zee first place so it is punishing me."

"Punishing you?"

"Oui," Fleur finally turned to her mate and smiled, squeezing the hand she held in the process, "punishing me. But it is nozing to be concerned about."

Hermione frowned again.

"I am serious, 'ermione. Zere is nozing zat can be done so zere is no need to be worried. Besides," Fleur gestured out at the party guests, "I do not want to let anyone else know my troubles." Here, she leaned in close to whisper in her ear. "Zey would tease me endlessly, knowing zat my Veela gets bored easily. Zey would try and bore it on purpose, just to annoy me."

Hermione chuckled and leaned back slightly, "Well we can't have that."

"Non, we cannot."

They settled into a comfortable silence, listening to the music playing and just enjoying each other's company. This silence was soon interrupted as Amélie, Fleur's best friend, sat roughly into the seat beside her.

" _Fleur! What are you doing? Why are you not out enjoying the party?_ **"**

Fleur could only shrug in response. Hermione raised her eyebrow in amusement at the redhead.

Amélie saw this as a questioning look and quickly continued. **"** _I wish you could have seen her last year, Hermione. Fleur here was all over the tent, making sure to talk to every single person present, even the annoying young children. She was not this boring then._ **"** She jabbed her elbow into Fleur's side teasingly, **"** _She was such a sociable butterfly that it was almost annoying to be around her and all of her followers. I could not even open my mouth before I was already being interrupted._ **"**

Fleur waved her off, growling in annoyance at the other Veela. **"** _I do not feel like talking to people tonight, Amélie, that is it. Nothing more. I would rather stay here and talk to Hermione if I had my choice._ **"**

Amélie just grinned at her. **"** _I am sure you would._ **"** Fleur felt her cheeks flush. **"** _In any case, it is almost midnight._ **"** Amélie stood up and gave her a secretive wink. **"** _I just wanted to inform you._ **"** With that, she walked away, disappearing into the crowd.

Fleur could only sigh. Leave it to Amélie to cater to the Veela and make her situation worse. She heard Hermione chuckle beside her. "She gets more interesting the more I'm around her."

"It is zee red hair." Fleur tapped her chest. "It stirs zee fire wizin and makes it uncontrollable, causing her to be more energetic zan normal."

Hermione shot her an amused look, "Is that a Veela saying?"

"Of course. At least, it explains zee redheaded Veela. I cannot explain what is wrong wiz zee ozer redheads in zee world." This caused Hermione to bust out laughing.

Fleur could only grin and stare at the girl beside her. There were times that Hermione just being there, doing simple things such as laughing at a joke, amazed her. She still found it hard to believe that, not only did she exist, but also knew about and accepted the Bond between them. What she felt for Hermione blew her away sometimes and she knew it was only going to get more intense as time went on.

Hermione must have felt her gaze because the girl turned to her, her large grin changing to a small, nervous smile. "Hey Fleur?"

"Oui?"

"I just wanted to say," Hermione took a deep breath before continuing, "It's hard for me to believe sometimes that I was just a normal student in Hogwarts this time last year. It almost feels like a lifetime ago."

" 'ermione…" Fleur did not want her to think of bad memories on such a happy celebration.

"No, Fleur, please, let me finish. It feels almost like a lifetime ago that I was running around the castle with Harry and Ron." Hermione ran her hand through her curls and looked away. "And when I discovered that my parents had left me behind, I had no idea what I was going to do. How I was going to survive even. But there was something in the back of my mind that told me that I had to."

Hermione turned to her and smiled, "Then you found me and I'd like to think that it was you that was pushing for me to go on. Pushing me to not give up. And I just wanted to say thank you, Fleur. For always being there even when we didn't know each other existed."

Fleur gave her a small smile. "You do not 'ave to zank me, 'ermione. I really 'ave not done anyzing special."

Hermione shook her head. "But you did. Probably more than even I know! And," Hermione took in another deep breath, "I just wanted to say thank you, for saving me. For helping me." Fleur watched as the brunette shifted closer to her, amber eyes nervously meeting hers. "For loving me."

Fleur saw fireworks explode behind her suddenly closed eyelids and heard the Veela scream in triumph as their lips tenderly met. She barely registered the gong of the clock and the celebratory shouts of those present indicating that the New Year had finally arrived. In fact, besides the soft lips pressed to hers and the even softer curls she found wrapped around her hand, she was only aware of one thing. One word that kept repeating in her thoughts that the Veela echoed over and over the longer the kiss lasted.

 _Mine._

-xXx-

 **AN:** God that was cliché. When I first started this story I told myself "Don't write cliché stuff. You hate it, they hate it. DON'T DO IT." And what do I do? First kiss at the ding of midnight on New Year's. *sigh* Oh, well.

 **Thanks for reading!**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

 **AN** : Good Monday everyone! I hope everybody enjoyed the weekend. To my American Followers, did you guys watch the Super Bowl? I know I didn't! Anyways, this chapter is a huge time jump and one which I think you all will enjoy. So...yea...that's it. I have nothing new to say. Just enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter or...much of anything really...huh...

-xXx-

As silent as a mouse, the big cat stalked through the woods, searching intently for her prey. It was approaching dark and the feline knew that she would have the upper hand soon. The creature she sought had terrible night vision and an inner glow that illuminated it in the dark. She just had to find it first.

A rustling sounded to her left and the feline paused mid-step. Her ears twitched back and forth, trying to determine where the noise came from. She never moved, even as silence reigned once again, hoping to hear something that would indicate the presence of her prey. Her ears twitched again as she heard an almost silent sigh and another rustling. If she were in human form she would've grinned. _There you are_.

Crouching low to the ground, the cat stalked to the left, positive that her prey was somewhere in that direction. As she rounded a thicket, the feline saw the creature sitting on the ground, her back against a tree. The rustling she had heard earlier was the turning of pages; her prey was reading in the dying light, looking like she didn't have a care in the world. Determining that she hadn't been detected, the cat tensed her legs under her, preparing to pounce. She would only have one shot to capture the human unaware and she had to act fast. Just as she was about to leap, a voice called out, breaking the silence of the forest.

" _I see you, Hermione._ **"**

Hermione could only sigh as she stood up and padded silently into the clearing. Fleur never looked up from her book (even going as far as turning another page) as she changed out of her fur and sat in front of her. **"** _How did you know I was there?_ **"**

Fleur finally glanced up and raised her eyebrow at the fourteen year old, **"** _Besides the fact that I could sense you? You were humming again._ **"**

The brunette gave her a lopsided grin, **"** _Sorry. For some reason I can never stalk you seriously._ **"**

The sixteen year old just rolled her eyes and stood up, brushing off her jeans before holding her hand out. **"** _Come, my lioness. We should be getting home before it is completely dark._ **"** Hermione smiled at the pet name and took the offered hand.

On the long walk back, in the comfortable presence of her mate, Hermione couldn't help but think back over the two years that had passed since the Granger's abandoned her. The time had passed by so quickly that it was hard for her to believe that she was set to start her Fourth Year of school next month. Her Second and Third Years seemed to have passed by so quickly.

In that time, Hermione had almost completely abandoned her religious (ridiculous) study habits she had during her Muggle schooling and her First Year at Hogwarts. She still laughed as she thought about what the younger Hermione would say to her if she could see her now. She could also see Harry and Ron rejoicing that she would no longer force them into study sessions (Hermione couldn't describe the pain she felt as she thought about the two best friends she had lost and hadn't been able to communicate with for the past two years). She could imagine them forcing her to go play Quidditch (not that her flying had improved any) or some other such game.

In fact, her schooling had only gotten easier as she perfected her 'pushing' method meaning she didn't have to study as much as she used to. Transfiguration and Charms were so easy that the professors had given up on trying to teach her like a normal student. Now, they mostly allowed her to do independent studies where she enjoyed testing the limits of magic. Professor Musson even talked about letting her sit her O.W.L.s this year since she would, technically, be fifteen by the time the exams came around.

Herbology, Astronomy, and Potions were really all memory based and she had always had an excellent memory. The weekend lessons with the Veela fledglings also helped with these classes as they went more in depth than the actual Beauxbatons courses. History of Magic was a lot easier when taught by somebody born in this century (and actually alive), but Muggle Studies was just as boring as she always thought it was.

What really excited her though (and made her look forward to school every week) was Defense class. Or more specifically, the Dueling Club. In the second semester of her Second Year, Professor Chez saw that she was growing bored with the class (even with his surprise attacks which had, truthfully, never really surprised her thanks to the feline instincts) and decided something had to be done. It took some convincing from Madame Maxime (and a brief demonstration showing that, yes, she really was that advanced), but eventually she was put into the Third Year class. She really wanted to be put into the Fourth Year class, but Maxime wouldn't even entertain the idea. It wasn't like she _couldn't_ do the work (Fleur let her study her notes all the time), but it was more that Maxime didn't want her and Fleur in the same class. Hermione was sure that Maxime thought the Veela would become too distracted and not be the perfect student anymore (which was ridiculous, but, oh well). The brunette was just happy to be in a, relatively, harder class.

It was actually _because_ of Madame Maxime not letting her into the class Professor Chez thought she should be in was the reason that she was let into the Dueling Club, a Fifth through Seventh Year only club. The Upper Years had been very amused when the little Second Year showed up to their club one day, but Hermione impressed them after the first duel. Since then, they had started giving her pointers and tips, teaching her some more spells and defense techniques, and showed her how to use other types of spells (such as Transfiguration and Charms) in the middle of duels. They even listened to her when she pointed something out and some even asked her for advice. All-in-all, Hermione thought it was a fair trade that she was forced into a boring class (that she was basically Chez's assistant in) but was allowed in the Dueling Club where she was actually challenged.

Of all the Delacours (Fleur not included), Damien was probably the most proud of her Defense skills. He still tried to get her to consider being a Curse Breaker, but she had decided against that in her Third Year when she finally met the Goblins that ran the French , felines were considered a rare delicacy to the Goblin Nation and they had spent her entire trip trying to get her away from Damien and visit a "hidden vault to show her what her job would be". _No, thank you._

In all honesty, she didn't really know what she wanted to do after she graduated ( _of course_ , she reasoned with herself, _that_ is _years away_ ). The few electives she was taking were interesting enough for her to stick with, but not enough to make a career out of. Fleur had briefly mentioned that she should look into being an Auror and, while she had considered it, there were a couple of things that she wanted to do first after she graduated.

The first being finding the Kanaima in South America. She had talked to Clara a lot over the past two years (the werewolf had almost become something like a mentor for her) to try and learn more about the mysterious cat species. The older woman had bought her a bunch of books on South American tribal legends and, while there were mentions of the Kanaima in most of them, the facts were totally off (at least, as far as Hermione was aware).

They all mentioned cannibalism and vengeance in some way which she found bizarre. She also found one that mentioned some ritual that needed to be done that involved consuming the blood of a victim (Hermione had gagged at that) to maintain the cat form. After that particular story, Hermione had decided that Muggles were completely wrong about the Kanaima and had given up on that avenue. Her only hope was to physically go find the cat species, but that had to wait until after she graduated.

Another thing she wanted to do before deciding on a major career (she could just hear Young Hermione yelling at her about her priorities) was spend more time with Fleur. Even though it might be an absurd desire, considering that fact the two _lived_ together, Hermione and Fleur hardly ever had time for their budding relationship to, well, bud.

Of course, they had gone on a few dates last year (mostly to the Alley or a quick stroll through the nearby Magical town), but it felt like something was missing. It couldn't be the physical aspect of their relationship due to the fact Fleur was always touching her in some way. Whether it was simply grabbing her hand, leaning into her, or something more (nothing beyond making-out in one of their rooms though), the blonde seemed to always need some sort of physical contact. Hermione just brushed it off as Veela clinginess (Clara had briefly mentioned something like that one day) and left it at that. No, she had no idea what was missing in their relationship, but she wanted time away from school and family to figure it out.

Speaking of the blonde, Hermione leaned into her as they approached the manor. She smiled to herself as Fleur dropped her hand and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. _Maybe I have a little clinginess too_ , she thought _._

" _What do you think the elves will fix for dinner?_ **"** Hermione asked randomly, breaking the silence as they reached the manor steps.

Fleur hummed in thought as she opened the front door and waited for Hermione to enter, **"** _I do not know. I am hoping for fish myself. The bouillabaisse they made the other night was amazing._ **"**

Hermione just snorted, **"** _You always want fish. Some water fearing bird you are._ **"**

" _How dare you!_ **"** Fleur gave an undignified screech before pushing her into the wall and tickling her sides. Hermione shrieked with laughter, trying to push the blonde off.

" _Stop, Fleur! Please!_ **"**

" _Saying that I am afraid of water, ridiculous! I am not afraid of anything! Take it back, Hermione._ **"**

" _Fine! Fine! I take it back!_ **"** Hermione tried to catch her breath as the slim fingers immediately left her sides and settled on her hips. **"** _That was not nice, Fleur. You are really mean for being so afraid of a silly liquid._ **"**

The brunette shrieked with laughter again as those merciless digits returned to her sides. She didn't have enough breath to plead anymore and could only settle on laughing, hoping that her mate would take pity on her soon. There was a brief moment of surprise as the fingers suddenly left her sides, but before she could question the action Hermione was pulled in for a searing kiss that took the rest of her breath. All thoughts of teasing left her mind as she felt a tongue press against her bottom lip, demanding entrance.

Hermione felt her mind grow fuzzy as the kiss deepened. All that mattered at the moment was Fleur; the softness of her lips, the silky, blonde hair that she was loosely gripping, the alluring vanilla scent that surrounded her. She also heard and felt the slight purr coming from the blonde and knew that the Veela was present. Hermione moaned as she felt hands suddenly slip under her shirt and slowly move up and down her sides, slipping a little higher with each motion. She inhaled a shaky breath as they moved to her ribcage and thumbs lightly brushed below her bra.

" _EW! FLEUR! MAYA! GET A ROOM! YOU TWO ARE SO GROSS!_ **"**

Hermione was left dazed as Fleur pulled away rapidly at the sudden shout. She could only gaze at the blonde in front of her in confusion, the presence of the third person not even registering with her yet. What were they supposed to be doing again? Were they going somewhere?

" _Go away, Gabrielle! We are busy._ **"**

" _Busy being gross! Wake Maya up and come on. Dinner is ready and Maman sent me to get you two._ **"**

Hermione finally turned to see the eight year old walk away, her hands thrown up in the air as she mumbled under her breath about them. The brunette could barely hear her complaints of having been sent to get the two and how she always found them in some predicament. Hermione felt her mate chuckle and was pulled in for a hug as the last bits of Haze faded.

" _She does always manage to find us._ **"** Hermione couldn't help but comment. And it was true. No matter where they were, as soon as they started doing something intimate, the younger blonde always managed to find them.

" _Yes and she is always so rude when she does. I cannot wait for her to find her mate so I can bother her this much._ **"**

" _That is mean, Fleur._ **"**

Fleur just shrugged before pulling away and leading her by the hand towards the dining room. **"** _I will not do anything that she has not done to us. I promise._ **"**

-oOo-

Fleur could not help but chuckle at the disgusted looks Gabrielle kept throwing her and Hermione's way. This was nothing new. Anytime Gabrielle found _anybody_ in a compromising position (for which Fleur knows she does a lot, the little imp), the girl would give the couple disgusted looks to let everyone in the vicinity know what they had been up to moments before. Fleur could not figure out if her sister enjoyed making people uncomfortable or causing trouble, but she was good at both. Too good.

She also knew that the little imp had told her mother what she and Hermione had been doing from the disapproving looks she was getting. For some reason, the adult Veela (truly only her mother and grandmother, everybody else left them, relatively, alone) did not like how close she and Hermione really were. She knew that they wanted them to wait to fully bond since Hermione was not Veela (Fleur could only shake her head at the multitude of rules associated with bonding with a non-Veela mate). And they were waiting! To be completely intimate that is. As long as Hermione did not object to fooling around a bit (and the Veela was extremely happy that she did not), Fleur saw no harm in having fun with their relationship.

Her mother and grandmother thought that she was taking advantage of the poor girl due to her susceptibility to the Thrall, but Fleur could only laugh at that. Yes, she and the Veela wanted to be close to Hermione all the time (whether they were kissing, cuddling, arguing; it did not matter. As long as they were together), but more often than not, it was _Hermione_ initiating the contact, not her. She could not count the number of times that she had gone to bed by herself and had woken up to the saber tooth fast asleep beside her. Even when she did release Thrall (rarely anymore and when it did happen it was mostly unintentional), Hermione was always quick to shake off the effects. Fleur could not help but think that Kanaima also had soulmates and she was Hermione's and the girl's instincts were controlling her actions too. That thought made both her and the Veela very happy.

Of course, these facts did not stop her mother and grandmother from trying to get them to take it slow. Fleur felt the Veela grin as it thought of all their failed attempts at controlling them. When she was younger, her mother only had to give her a look or speak in a certain voice that would immediately make her comply with any order (her grandmother only needed to give The Look). Now, the Veela just laughed at her mother and only listened when Régine's Veela gave the order. Fleur did feel bad about it to some degree (her parents thought she was deliberately disobeying them in some teenage rebellion), but the Veela was right. They were trying to stop her from being with Hermione and she could not allow that. Nothing was going to get between them, not even her family.

Her father suddenly clearing his throat had her turning to look at him, her inner musings being put on hold for the moment. It was rare that there was a surprise announcement at dinner and she could only imagine what it was about.

" _My family, I have a surprise that I am sure you will enjoy. Roggrot was pleased with how I handled the St. Pierre case and he has given me tickets for the Quidditch World Cup as a reward._ **"**

" _Really?!_ **"** Gabrielle asked excitedly. Fleur knew that the girl had wanted to go to the World Cup (even though the French team had not made it) so this was probably a dream come true for her. Fleur, on the other hand, felt nothing but dread at the announcement. The idea of being in a crowd of witches and wizards from all around the world did not appeal to her. Being stared at and followed (not to mention no privacy with Hermione at all) made her cringe.

" _Yes, really._ **"** Damien grinned at his youngest. **"** _We must be prepared to catch the Portkey tomorrow morning. We will stay until a day after the match ends so we will see all of the festivities and parties._ **"**

Gabrielle gave a loud shriek and ran to her father, crushing him in a hug, before then running around the room, shouting with joy. Fleur just rolled her eyes at her sister and turned to Hermione. She did not think that her mate would enjoy going to the event since she could not stand large crowds any more than her, but when she looked at the brunette all she sensed was excitement.

" _When is the match?_ **"** Hermione asked the man.

" _Tomorrow night. We will leave in the morning and get settled at the campsite, before watching the match. We will stay for however long it takes to finish, partake in a few of the festivities afterwards, then head home in time for you both to get your things for school._ **"**

" _A game can last more than a day?_ **"**

Damien laughed, **"** _Sometimes! One time there was a professional match took six days to finish because the Seekers could not find the Snitch._ **"**

Fleur sighed internally as she watched Hermione's eyes widen with anticipation and wonder. There was no way to get out of going now. She was not going to deny her mate something only because of her own discomfort. She was tougher than that.

" _I am glad you are all excited._ **"** Damien clapped his hands together, stopping his youngest from her happy dance around the room. **"** _We have a lot to do. You need to be ready to leave for the Portkey site by 6 am. Understood?_ **"**

Gabrielle nodded her understanding and quickly ran out of the room to pack, her excited shouts soon fading. Fleur could only roll her eyes once more at the young girl and turned to watch her mother and father walk out of the room, leaving only her and Hermione sitting at the table.

" _You are not excited for the match, are you?_ **"**

Fleur turned to see the concerned look Hermione was giving her. She just smiled and shrugged. **"** _Not really. The idea of being in the middle of a large crowd of witches and wizards does not sound appealing. Not to mention that we will be sharing a tent with Maman, Papa, and Gabrielle._ **"**

Hermione frowned, **"** _One tent for all five of us? I do not think we will all fit._ **"**

" _A magical tent, Maya._ **"** Fleur chuckled, **"** _Ours has three bedrooms with attached baths, a full kitchen, dining room, living room, everything. We will fit fine. It is just that we will not have as much privacy as usual. Especially with all of the Wizarding world around us._ **"**

" _Surely not every magical being will be there._ **"** Hermione raised her eyebrow and smirked at her.

" _I may have exaggerated a little._ **"**

" _A little?_ **"**

" _But the Veela will make it seem that there are more people than there really is. With so many others around, it will get defensive and try and keep you close._ **"**

Fleur grinned internally as Hermione rolled her eyes. **"** _You blame the Veela a lot and I cannot help but think it is mostly your doing, Mademoiselle Delacour._ **"**

" _Well, my dear, how can I not want to keep you close? I love you too much to take the risk of somebody else sweeping you off your feet._ **"**

Fleur barely heard the **'** _As if_ **'** muttered before their lips lightly met. She could not help but grin at her mate's answer even if her worries were true. The Veela (and herself if she was honest) constantly worried that somebody would try and take Hermione from them. Such a stupid thing to be afraid of, as Hermione has told her many times, but it was still something that crossed her mind occasionally (a lot).

Hermione eventually broke the kiss, stood up, and grabbed her hand, leading her out of the room. Fleur could only grin at the girl's excited chatter about the upcoming match, not really listening to the brunette as her thoughts were more on the distraught Veela.

 _There will be so much going on,_ Fleur thought at it, _no one will bother us. You will see._

 **How can you be sure? Even at home, we have to be on guard for the Alpha trying to take our mate from us.**

 _She is not trying to separate us completely, just to slow it down._

 **Same thing.**

Fleur internally rolled her eyes at it. _You are being silly. Either way, we have to go. And it is only for a few days. How bad could it truly be?_

-oOo-

" _This sucks._ **"**

Hermione couldn't help but chuckle at Fleur's dejected voice. They were currently walking through the middle of the woods that were situated near the campsite of the Quidditch World Cup. This hadn't been part of the original plan when they had first arrived, Hermione was sure of that. No, they had been practically _banished_ away from the main camp because Fleur couldn't control herself.

When they had first arrived at the camp early that morning (too early in Hermione's opinion. She had been having a lovely dream and wasn't quite awake or prepared for the nasty sensation of Portkey travel), Fleur had immediately latched onto her hand and gave everyone that came near them the 'get the fuck away from us' look. This would've been fine normally (Hermione had become extremely used to this look from school), but the air was also thick with Thrall which attracted _every single witch and wizard they passed_. So it was a never ending struggle; people were attracted by the Thrall, Fleur would get frustrated and glare at them, the frustration produced more Thrall, and more people were attracted. By the time they had reached their campsite, even Apolline (with her seemingly never ending reserve of patience) was aggravated with the attention they had attracted.

They couldn't even set up the tent in peace. People (mostly men) would come up and ask Fleur if she needed any help with the tent, her luggage, a back rub, _anything_. It was when Hermione saw feathers begin to emerge around her hairline that she decided to get Fleur out of there. When she informed Damien and Apolline where they were going, Apolline had given her such a thankful look that the brunette knew she had done the right thing.

" _You brought it on yourself._ **"**

The look Fleur gave her made Hermione wither a bit inside. _Perhaps that wasn't the right thing to say_ , she thought with a wince.

" _Do not say that, Maya. I hate the attention, yes, but I would rather have the attention of every single one of them, no matter how much it annoys me, rather than have them bother and hound you like this._ **"**

Hermione scoffed, **"** _As if that would happen. No one looks at me like that._ **"** She blushed at the stare Fleur was giving her. **"** _Except you._ **"**

" _You do not see what I see._ **"** Fleur shook her head as she sat in front of a random tree. Hermione only sighed as Fleur pulled her down so she was sat in the blonde's lap ( _no need to be pushy, Fleur_ , Hermione thought, _I know the routine by now)_.

As soon as they were comfortable, Fleur continued, **"** _As soon as we arrived, everyone was drawn to you, I could sense it. I am not sure what caused it, but everyone did not start coming over to us because of the Thrall. They came over because of you. It was only because I was able to sense their emotions that caused the Thrall to be released in the first place which caused all of that mess._ **"**

Hermione pulled back to look at the blonde in disbelief. There was no way that Fleur was telling her the truth. This had to be some kind of Veela paranoia or whatever.

" _I do not care if you believe me or not, Maya, but it is the truth._ **"**

The desperation in Fleur's voice made Hermione sigh internally. _Sometimes, it's just easier to agree and move on,_ she thought. The brunette simply kissed her mate on the cheek and settled her head on the blonde's shoulder, relaxing into the embrace. She hummed as the arms tightened around her and she felt the Veela within slowly begin to relax.

They sat in relative silence, the noise from the camp barely making its way to them, enjoying each other's company. Hermione felt at peace in the forest and her eyes slowly closed as she heard the small purring coming from the blonde. _A small nap wouldn't hurt._ Hermione thought with a yawn, _This is going to be a stressful trip anyways. I might as well enjoy the peace while it lasts._

-oOo-

"Oye! What are you two doin' out here?!"

Hermione startled awake at the loud shout, immediately becoming disoriented upon finding herself in the middle of an unfamiliar forest. _What?_

"Campers aren't supposed to be out in the woods! What are you doin' here?"

She felt Fleur shift slightly underneath her as she buried her face into the blonde's neck, blatantly ignoring the random man shouting at them. Why were people always waking her up so early in the morning?

"I am so sorry, Monsieur. We were not aware of zee restrictions." Hermione felt the arms tighten around her. "Eef you geeve us a moment to wake up, we weell be going."

"O-of-of course, Miss. You t-take all th-the time you need."

Hermione waited for the footsteps of the man to fade before chuckling. **"** _You were laying it on a bit thick, yes? I really enjoyed the pronounced French accent though._ **"**

She felt Fleur grin and shrug slightly, **"** _Muggles are easier to manipulate, especially English Muggles. They love the accent._ **"**

" _He was a Muggle?_ **"** Hermione chose to ignore the bit about loving the French accent (she herself was guilty of that).

" _Yes. You could not tell?_ **"**

Hermione yawned and stretched as she stood up. **"** _No. I was too busy being asleep. It is too early to get up._ **"**

Fleur chuckled as they made their out of the woods, nodding at the chubby Muggle that was waiting for them at the wood's edge before continuing with the conversation, **"** _It is probably near 10:30. You know we get up earlier than this for school, yes?_ **"**

" _It is summer break, therefore we do not get up before noon. That is the only thing I need to know at this point._ **"**

She heard Fleur chuckle slightly before an arm slipped around her shoulders and lips pressed against her cheek. **"** _I love you, my lioness. Never forget that._ **"**

Hermione hummed in agreement and began to observe the hustle and bustle going on around them as they entered the campground. It had been too early for everything to be open when they had first arrived, but now there were stores and games opening everywhere. Hermione was reminded of a Muggle carnival she went to once. That was, until she saw an elder wizard chasing two children who were hovering a foot off the ground on a broomstick.

A merchandise stand they came upon caught her attention immediately, or rather, the loud roar coming from the stand did. It had been an amusing time when she first realized that she could communicate with other felines (she enjoyed watching the Veela at school freak out when she told a cat to go into their dorms. Fleur hadn't enjoyed it as much though). After being told (ordered) to stop, Hermione had then only listened in on the familiars' gossip (cats loved to gossip about everything she found out) and had easily learned to understand them while she wasn't in her fur.

What amused her now was the roar she heard was coming from a red scarf that had an enchanted lion emblem that moved and roared at random. While she assumed it sounded rather intimidating to the surrounding witches and wizards (she watched as they all jumped whenever the lion roared), all she heard was 'HELLO!' over and over again.

After she shared this bit of information with Fleur, the blonde immediately went over to the stand to see what else was being sold. They both laughed at the Irish hats with the dancing shamrocks and Fleur enjoyed teasing her with one of the flying toy replica Firebolts ( **"** _Look, Maya! A broom even you can control!_ **"** ). What they really enjoyed though, was the moving figures of the Bulgarian and Irish teams.

" _Look, Maya! Look at how mean Krum looks!_ **"**

" _His tiny scowl is so adorable. Look at how he thinks he is so tough._ **"**

They giggled as the tiny figure pouted and scowled up at them, obviously annoyed at being made fun of. Their giggling turned into full blown laughter as they watched one of the miniature Irish players walk up with a swagger and get into a fight with the miniature Krum. Hermione was so engrossed in the small battle that she never heard the small gasp, the slight thump of somebody getting hit, or the responding 'oof' from behind her.

What she did hear though, was the breathless 'Hermione?' spoken from somebody in the crowd. Upon hearing her name (one that was rarely used by anyone other than Fleur anymore), she turned to look over her shoulder and gasped at what she saw.

Standing there with an awestruck look on his face, was a familiar looking boy with messy black hair, round glasses, and piercing green eyes. She didn't even need to see the recognizable lightning bolt scar on his forehead to know him, the overjoyed expression on his face one she easily remembered from their First Year.

"Harry?"

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

 **AN:** Alright, here we are again. I've nitpicked this chapter enough so I think its good, but like always, I'm relying on you guys to catch my mistakes.

I really didn't think the change in Hermione's name would be an issue, but a lot of you have asked about it. Simply put, her nickname is for my own amusement and it makes it easier for me to write dialogue (there is no correlation between the two, but for me its easier). I chose 'Maya' because I hate 'Mione (as I say that, please excuse my massive use of that name in this chapter), its shorter, and I've always liked that spelling better than 'Mia'. Really, there is no other reason. Somebody asked for an origin and I'm assuming they are meaning as to when it became a nickname for her in my story and...uh...I don't know. Sometime between second semester of Second Year and the summer before Fourth Year, obviously. I would like to think the Gabrielle coined it because I could just see that as something she would do.

Anyways, nothing else. I hope you all enjoy.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own HP.

-xXx-

"Harr –OOF!"

Hermione wasn't able to finish her exclamation before she was crushed into a hug. She barely had time to move her face enough to breathe before another set of arms wrapped around her, the recognizable Weasley red hair filling her vision. She became partially deaf from the joyous 'Hermione!' shouted near her ear, but she couldn't find it in her to care. Her boys were back.

She didn't have time to wrap her arms around their necks to return the hug (not that she could move them from where they were pinned to her sides) before she suddenly found herself held at arm's length by the Boy-Who-Lived. Amber eyes met bright green briefly before Ron shouting had her turning to him.

"Bloody hell, Hermione! Where have you been?!"

"We have been worried sick about you!" Hermione felt the hands grip her tighter as Harry said this.

"When we found out that you weren't on the train…"

"…and none of the teachers would tell us what was going on…"

"…not to mention how much we _needed_ you our Second Year…"

"…then in the summer we went to find you…"

"…Mum really tore into us when we got back from that…"

"…and we couldn't find you, 'Mione!" Harry shook her slightly at this. Hermione was able to see the pain and desperation clear in his eyes.

"…we even tried looking you up in that phelly phone book thing! Nothing!"

"…no note! No warning! You gave us nothing before disappearing!"

"You never even responded to any of our owls! And frankly, that was rather rude, Hermione." Ron grinned that foolish grin she remembered so fondly, but what he said had her shaking her head in confusion.

"Wait! Wait! What owls?!" Hermione whipped her head back and forth between the two boys in front of her. "I never got any owls. YOU never responded to MINE!"

Hermione watched as the two boys turned to look at each other in confusion and felt her stomach drop. There was something more going on here.

"Wait a minute, Hermione." Harry turned back to her, his eyes squinted slightly in confusion. "You sent us owls?"

She nodded vigorously, "Yes! Merlin, yes. I've sent so many owls out that I don't even know anymore. But they all returned empty-handed! Meaning you got them…right?!"

The boys exchanged looks once more before beginning a conversation that she couldn't even hope to follow.

"Dobby?"

Harry shook his head, "I doubt it. He returned them all when I demanded it. Maybe the Goat?"

"Merlin, I hope not." Hermione watched Ron grimace and fold his arms in front of his chest in contemplation. "We will never get them if that's the case. But why would he do that?"

"Who knows why the Old Goat does anyth…"

"Do you two realize zat neizer of you are making any sense?"

Hermione looked over her shoulder to see Fleur standing there with her arms crossed and an eyebrow raised. The brunette could only grin happily at the Veela, hoping that the blonde understood her overwhelming joy at the moment. She noted that Fleur did not look too pleased with situation (possibly due to the tight grip Harry had on her), but was determined to deal with the blonde's jealousy later. She didn't have time for it right now.

A strangled 'gurk' had Hermione turning her attention back to Harry and Ron only to sigh in frustration. _Merlin, Fleur,_ she thought, _not again_.

Harry was definitely doing a better job at fighting the Thrall's Haze than Ron, his eyes simply darting back and forth between Fleur and her. His gaze lingered a bit longer on Fleur each time, but always returned to her in the end. Ron, on the other hand, was completely under its control. Hermione watched with mild amusement (and some disgust) as his face turned a deep red with his mouth hanging open and eyes wide and glazed, a trail of drool slowly making its way down his chin. She could tell that he was trying to communicate ( _poor thing)_ by the strangled choking sounds he kept making.

Luckily, with them being under the Haze, Hermione was able to slip free from Harry's grasp. She took the opportunity to swiftly swat both of them on the back of the head, effectively breaking the Thrall's control.

Ron, being the hot-tempered boy she remembered fondly, immediately took offence, "Bloody hell, Hermione! What was that for?!"

She simply crossed her arms in front of her chest, "I don't know, Ron. What were you just doing?"

She watched as he opened his mouth, ready to tell her _exactly_ what he had been doing, when he stopped suddenly and looked down at the ground in confusion. Hermione watched in amusement as he tapped his finger to his chin and mumbled to himself. _That's what I thought,_ Hermione smirked.

As Ron contemplated what just happened, Harry looked at her in confusion before turning his gaze once more to Fleur who had walked over to them and had grabbed ahold of her hand possessively. Hermione turned to look at the blonde briefly and smiled as she turned back to the boys.

"Harry, Ron, I would like to introduce you to Fleur Delacour, my…um…" Hermione quickly glanced at Fleur (who just raised an eyebrow in amusement) before shrugging slightly, "She's my girlfriend."

She ignored their rather shocked reactions (Harry's eyes had widened and Ron's mouth had dropped open once more) and turned to look at the blonde, squeezing her hand briefly. "Fleur, this is Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, my two best friends from Hogwarts."

Fleur smirked at the two shocked boys, "Enchanté."

Ron simply muttered another 'Bloody hell' while Harry gave them a large grin. "It's nice to meet you, Fleur! Wow! I never thought Hermione Granger would've changed this much since First Year." Hermione watched as he elbowed Ron in the side, "Did you, Ron? Who knew our little bookworm would get a girlfriend before us."

"You're right, mate." Ron shook his head, "It's not fair."

"Um…actually," Hermione scratched the back of her neck as both boys turned to look at her in confusion, "its Hermione Delacour now. Not Granger."

Ron's shout of 'YOU'RE MARRIED!?' had a lot of people turning to look at the small group. It didn't help that Fleur's bell-like laughter following the statement caused even more heads to turn.

"NO, Ronald!" Hermione stamped her foot in frustration, "I'm not bloody married!"

"I'm confused, Hermione." Harry spoke up, "Why did you change your last name?"

Hermione grimaced at him, trying to think of what to say. It had gotten easier talking about the Granger's with Régine and Clara, but explaining her situation to somebody else (whether they knew the basics or not) always created a pit in her stomach. "Um…Fleur's family took me in and basically adopted me. I've lived with them since the end of First Year." She didn't see any reason to tell them about the four months on her own.

She watched with apprehension as Harry stared at her for a moment (Ron was looking at Harry for some reason) before his eyes widened. Before she knew what was going on, Harry closed the gap between them, pulled her in for a hug, and whispered in her ear, "I'm so sorry, 'Mione."

She simply hugged him back, welcoming the reassurance and love she felt coming from the boy. Hermione was sure that while Harry had no clue what had truly happened between her and the Granger's, he could (probably very accurately) guess.

"Well, that explains why none of our owls were getting to you." Ron spoke up.

Hermione pulled back from the hug to look at the boy in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"In the summer before our Second Year, I addressed the letters to the Granger residence, not to you specifically. Stupid I know, but I was twelve. What did I know?" Ron shrugged. "And Harry had his own problems that summer so was unable to send out any letters."

Hermione looked at the Boy-Who-Lived in confusion, but Harry just shrugged, "A story for another time I think."

She nodded her head in agreement before turning back to Ron who continued speaking. "When we realized that you weren't at Hogwarts, we immediately sent Hedwig out with letters asking where you were. She always returned empty-handed so we had assumed they had been delivered. I'm guessing now that the Old Goat was intercepting her and stealing the letters. He probably also intercepted yours so we couldn't see them."

Harry shook his head, "That doesn't explain what happened to her letters from that summer."

"I wasn't able to send any letters during the summer before Second Year." She turned away in shame as both boys looked at her. "I wasn't able to send you two any owls until the end of October."

Harry gave her a sad smile (she was still wondering at how much he had figured out with the little information she had given) and Ron only gave her a confused look before nodding his head. "Alright, theory is still going strong then. So, I had my letters going to the wrong place during that summer, you didn't start sending any until after school began, the Old Goat was intercepting them during the school year...and…"

"It had to be the Red Hen, mate, during the summer before Third Year. It's the only thing that makes sense." Harry suddenly spoke up.

Ron just sighed, "Yea, I could see her doing something like that."

Hermione was just confused, "Wait, who? Who is the Red Hen? And who is the Old Goat? What's with you two?"

She watched as Harry and Ron exchanged a glance before Harry leaned in close to whisper, "It's complicated, 'Mione. A lot has changed since you left."

"Yea, we really had to step up our game since you weren't there to figure everything out for us anymore." Ron joined in their whispered conversation.

"Second Year was really only the beginning." Hermione turned to Harry. "We started noticing that things stopped making sense; things stopped adding up."

"And we noticed that there were a lot of people pushing us in certain directions. The biggest offenders being the Red Hen, Black Snake, and Old Goat." Ron grimaced as he said it.

"And they are…?" Hermione gestured for them to continue.

Harry placed his mouth right beside her ear and barely breathed out, "Mrs. Weasley, Snape, and Dumbledore."

Hermione reared back and gave him a bewildered look. _They must've lost their minds in the past two years. Snape doing something sinister I could believe, but Mrs. Weasley? I'm not even going to entertain the notion of Dumbledore being involved._

"I am sorry," Fleur suddenly spoke up as the three teens turned to look at her, "are you trying to tell us zat you are involved in some sort of," she waved her hand around as she tried to think of the correct word, "conspiracy? In which zee great Albus Dumbledore 'imself is involved?" She scoffed before crossing her arms and looking away, **"** _Do not be ridiculous_. **"**

Before Hermione could question her mate's conclusion, Ron nodded his head, "As crazy as it sounds, yes, we did. We discovered a conspiracy and are trying to work it out. I've gotta admit, 'Mione. I'm glad you're back so you can help us. We've got the main players and some of the plot, but we haven't figured out the whole thing yet."

Hermione paused for a few minutes to collect her thoughts before closing her eyes and pinching her nose in frustration, "Let me get this straight. You think that your mother, Snape, and Dumbledore have, not only been purposely keeping us from communicating, but have also been dictating your lives to complete some predetermined plot?" _I forgot how exhausting it was to be around them_ , Hermione thought.

"Shh, Hermione!" Harry said harshly, "They have eyes and ears everywhere. We can't trust anybody! That's why we have code names, so they can't figure it out! But yes, I don't know if it's both of us they are trying to manipulate or Ron got pulled into it by his association with me, but they have some sort of…long term plan for us. I'm sure of it! We just can't figure out what it is."

Hermione just looked at the two boys in front of her, hoping (praying) that they were joking with her, but her instincts were telling her that they were telling the truth. She was about to tell them that they were just reading too much into everything, when something that she hadn't thought of in years came to mind. Something that had been pushed to the back of her mind due to all of the stuff that had happened to her after First Year.

"That night…with the Sorcerer's Stone…" she murmured to herself.

"You remember it, right?" Harry asked. He glanced quickly at Fleur (probably to determine how much she had been told, Hermione noticed) before continuing, "You said it yourself that night, remember? You said that nothing made sense. Why would Dumbledore FLY to London when he could just as easily use the Floo? Even then, the defenses surrounding the Stone were so simple that three FIRST YEARS were able to pass them. There was no way that a full grown wizard would've been stopped by them."

"And we later found out that it should've been four of us that night, not three." Ron suddenly spoke up. "Neville was supposed to come with us, to get us past the Devil's Snare, but he tried to stop us instead. It didn't completely ruin the plot because you are so smart, but it wasn't what the Old Goat was expecting. That's why he still gave Neville points at the feast."

"Devil's Snare! _Maya, why did you not tell me the full story?"_ Hermione winced at Fleur's angered tone.

" _Because I knew you would react like this and it really was not as bad as it sounds. I promise._ **"**

"Sorry, 'Mione." Ron rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, "I figured you told her."

"It's alright, Ron. Fleur's just being silly." Hermione smiled as the blonde glared at her. "But you're right. I hate to admit it, but there was something about that night that just didn't seem right. Also, the fact that Snape was just creeping around that hallway was odd."

"Exactly, and it only got worse in our Second…" Harry started before snapping his jaw closed and standing at attention. Hermione was just about to ask what was wrong with him when a voice spoke up behind her.

"There you two are."

"Chatting up some birds are you?"

Hermione turned around to see the identical faces of Fred and George Weasley walking towards their group. Lagging farther behind them, she was barely able to see four more Weasley men and a younger red-headed girl that Hermione recognized as Ginny. She wasn't sure, but it seemed like the longer she looked at Ginny, the more uncomfortable she got. This girl did not resemble the upbeat, happy young child Hermione saw briefly on the Platform so long ago. Instead, this Ginny seemed to have a weight bearing down upon her that appeared to leave the girl drained. Looking at her for too long disturbed Hermione in ways she couldn't even begin to explain.

Before she let her discomfort show, Hermione turned her attention back to the twins in front of her, "Hello, Fred, George. It's been a while."

She watched with some amusement as the one on the left squinted his eyes and cocked his head to the side while the one on the right started elbowing him in the side and pointing, "Blimey George, isn't that Hermione Granger?"

"I believe so, Fred, but that doesn't make sense. Little Bookworm Granger always had a book in front of her face. This one is looking around all cheerful like."

"You're right! This Granger is a lot more confident it seems, not like the ickle Firsty I remember. Of course, if I had a bloody gorgeous blonde standing that close to me, I would probably feel pretty confident too."

"Bloody hell, I was too focused on Miss. Granger to even notice her! You think we should introduce ourselves?"

"To prove how gentlemanly we are? Absolutely!"

"Alright!" The one on the left took a step forward and bowed at the waist before standing up straight and looking at Fleur, "It is a pleasure to meet you miss! My name is George Weasley and this fine, but not as good looking, fellow beside me…"

Before George could finish his introduction, Fred stepped in front of him and did a deep curtsey, "And I am Fred Weasley. Please ignore my half-wit brother, this is his first time out of the house in weeks and doesn't know how to behave himself."

Fleur chuckled as George gave his twin an evil glare. "Enchanté Monsieurs. I am Fleur Delacour and you are right, zis is not 'ermione Granger, but 'ermione Delacour. She is bound to be a lot different zan zee First Year you know."

Both George and Fred gave her broad smiles (George even gave her two thumbs up) at hearing the news.

"Good for you, Hermione!" George said.

"Fourteen is a little young to be married," Fred shrugged his shoulders, "but I don't blame you in the slightest."

Hermione felt her face go red and face-palmed as Fleur laughed once more. Groaning, the brunette looked back up at the grinning twins, "As I told Harry and Ron, I'm not married. Fleur's family just…uh…adopted me."

"And you decided to date their daughter? Ballsy move, Granger, ballsy move." George whistled through his teeth and Fred started laughing. Hermione just groaned at the two while Fleur chuckled.

" _Oh, Maya! I like these two!_ **"**

"Did I hear that somebody got married?"

Hermione looked up to see that the rest of the Weasley family had caught up to their growing group. The oldest red-head ( _Mr. Weasley_ , Hermione thought) was looking at them all in curiosity. What made her tense up (besides the dark feeling that she now clearly sensed from Ginny) was the look that one of the older red-heads was giving them ( _or rather,_ Hermione noticed with a growl _, giving Fleur_ ).

It had been a while since somebody had openly ogled at or flirted with Fleur without the presence of Thrall. Hermione scaring the piss out of Oris had scared off everybody at school and they usually held hands while out in public indicating that they were both off limits. Most people respected these bounds and would usually only smile at them as they passed.

But this man ( _boy_ , Hermione growled to herself) was staring at Fleur like she was the only glass of water in the middle of the desert. And boy was he thirsty.

"Apparently, Dad, Hermione here isn't married." Fred gestured to the brunette, "She just skipped that step before taking her bird's last name."

"Yea, she's doing everything backwards!" George piped in before tapping his finger to his chin, "Which is oddly strange for the rule-loving Firsty I remember."

"Hermione?" Mr. Weasley turned to her and gave her a curious look. "I don't believe we've met, but I know your name from somewhere."

"Um…yes, Sir. I used to attend Hogwarts with Ron and Harry." Hermione felt Fleur step closer to her until they were shoulder-to-shoulder as the group of redheads came to a stop in front of them.

"You should've seen them, Dad. Ickle Ronnikens with his two besties running around the castle like they owned the place." George moved to sling an arm around Ron and Harry's shoulders.

Fred also walked over to the two boys and pinched Ron's cheek while saying in a sing-song voice, "Where you found one, you always found the other two!"

"Oh, that's right! Ron used to write home about you two. He got pretty worried during that summer when he hadn't heard from either you or Harry." Mr. Weasley stated.

"Yea, and I apologized for that." Hermione rubbed the back of her neck, the uncomfortable feeling of being out of her fur coming back the longer they were around the group. "I had…uh…moved away that summer and hadn't been able to owl them."

"Well, that's alright! As long as all was forgiven." Mr. Weasley gazed around at the group fondly before smacking his forehead with his palm. "Where are my manners? Honestly. My name is Arthur, I'm Ron's dad…obviously. These are my eldest sons; Bill, Charlie, and Percy." Each boy smiled when their name was called. Well, Bill gave them ( _what he assuredly thought_ , Hermione thought in amusement) was a charming, boyish smile while Percy just grimaced at them. Charlie was the only one that seemed friendly of the three.

"And this is my youngest, Ginny." Hermione just briefly glanced at the girl mentioned (who had only looked at them before turning her attention back to the campground). She felt Fleur tense up more and knew that the Veela sensed that something was wrong with the girl too.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all" Hermione said politely. She nodded at Percy, "It's nice to see you again, Percy. Did you ever make Head Boy?"

Percy looked taken aback by the question before puffing out his chest in pride, "Yes, actually, I did. And I must say that I was probably the best Head Boy there ever was."

Hermione smirked slightly at the coughed 'Prat' behind her (it sounded like one of the twins, but she wasn't sure) and nodded at him once more. "Congratulations, then. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to see it."

"I'm sorry," Bill suddenly spoke up. Hermione turned to see his charming (ridiculous) smile still plastered on his face as he looked at Fleur, "I don't believe we caught your name."

"Excusez-moi. I am Fleur Delacour." Hermione became worried as she saw Fleur smile at him, the blonde's attention never wavering from the eldest Weasley son. The brunette wasn't worried that her mate was interested in the boy. That would be silly due to how devoted and possessive the Veela was of her. No, what had her worried was the hand that she felt clenching the back of her shirt so tightly that Hermione could feel Fleur begin to shake. She knew instinctively that the Veela saw the boy as some sort of threat that was trying to break them apart and was attempting to take control. Hermione knew that she had to diffuse the situation somehow.

Luckily, the redhead did it for her. Bill's smile grew upon hearing the blonde's name and waved his hand suddenly, conjuring a single red rose out of thin air. **"** _Pardon me, Mademoiselle, but I am required to give you a thing. A very beautiful flower like you should have a very pretty flower also._ **"**

Hermione barely resisted laughing out loud at the broken French he spoke in ( _he must've thought that was real smooth_ , she thought) while Fleur just took the rose with a small 'Merci'.

She wasn't the only one who found the gesture funny, the barely contained chorus of laughter behind her indicating that all of the boys enjoyed the show.

" _Wow, Fleur. You are very lucky, yes? Such a beautiful rose._ **"** Hermione couldn't help but tease the blonde, hoping that it would distract the Veela enough so Fleur could regain control. The nails that she suddenly felt digging into her back had her struggling to hold back a gasp of pain. _Perhaps not my smartest move,_ she thought with a wince.

"Perhaps, Mademoiselle Delacour, after the match, you would be up to joining me for a walk around the campground. I would really like to get to know you better." Bill took another step forward (Hermione winced as the nails dug deeper into her skin) and smiled suggestively at the blonde.

"Um…actually…"

Fleur was saved from making up an excuse as a loud 'ding' resounded throughout the campground. Everybody looked up in confusion before Mr. Weasley clapping his hands together had everyone turning their attention to him. "It's time everyone! We gotta hurry and find our seats. It was lovely meeting you, Hermione, Fleur. Perhaps after the match you and your family would be interested in joining us for dinner."

"I will make zee suggestions, Monsieur Weasley. Zank you for zee offer." Fleur smiled as politely as she could at the man who just beamed back at her in return. The older man turned to leave with Percy, Charlie, and Ginny following closely behind him.

Bill quickly reached out and grabbed hold of Fleur's hand, kissing her knuckles before smiling at her once more. **"** _I look forward to eating you tonight. Goodbye, my pretty flower._ **"**

Hermione couldn't stop the chortle that came out as Bill turned to walk away. She didn't even need to look at Fleur to know that the blonde's face was red (from anger or embarrassment she couldn't exactly tell). By that point she wasn't sure why she had been so jealous of the looks he had been giving her mate, the man was so ridiculous that there was no way Fleur (or any breathing female really) would ever fall for him (even if there wasn't the whole soul bound thing going on between them).

What made Hermione completely lose control over herself was when Fred and George walked up beside them.

"I'm just going to guess…"

"…based on your reactions…"

"…that our dear brother…"

"..cannot speak French as well…"

"…as he thinks he can."

Hermione was laughing so hard by then that all she could do was shake her head. Fleur, on the other hand, ignored the twins all together and threw the rose on the ground, cursing Bill under her breath in harsh French.

"Don't get too upset ladies." The twin on the left said (Hermione had completely lost track of who was who).

"Bill thinks that he is Merlin's gift to all witches." The twin on the right shook his head after his departed brother.

"He does this all the time."

"Yea, surely he will find another girl soon and forget all about you."

"Oh, I 'ighly doubt it." Fleur said in a huff. **"** _Stupid, redheaded bastard._ **"**

"Oh, come on, Fleur." Hermione grinned, "You've got to give him credit for trying."

" _No, I do not. What is worse is that we will have to deal with him all the time now. I doubt he will give up that easily._ **"**

Hermione groaned, **"** _I never even thought of that. We will see him every time I want to talk with Harry and Ron._ **"**

" _Perhaps an encounter with a pissed Saber Tooth would…_ **"**

"This is how it's going to be for now on, isn't it?"

Hermione and Fleur turned to the four boys who were looking at them in amusement. Hermione cocked her head to the side in confusion, "What do you mean?"

Harry shook his head, "You two, speaking in another language about Merlin knows what while we all just stand around and wait for you to remember we exist."

Fleur just shrugged while Hermione smiled apologetically, "Sorry guys, but once you live in another country for a while, you kind of get used to talking in that language all the time. Even if there are other English speaking people around."

The twins just looked at each other and shrugged before beginning to walk in the direction that their family went. "It's none of our business…"

"…but it WAS good to see you again, Hermione…"

"...hopefully we will see you two after the match…"

"…without Bill that is…"

"I don't know, George. Watching those two tear Bill apart might be entertaining."

"You're right, Fred. Perhaps we will sell tickets."

Hermione shook her head as the two disappeared in the crowd. She turned back to see Harry and Ron whispering to each other.

" _We should be going too, Maya. Maman and Papa are surely wondering where we are and Gabrielle will not be patient for long._ **"**

Hermione sighed and nodded at Fleur, not really wanting to go to the stupid Quidditch match when she had just met back up with her two best friends. She could tell that Harry and Ron didn't want to go either (she was able to sense their hesitation), despite their love for the game.

" 'Mione…" Harry started before looking at Ron briefly and giving a determined nod, "We know that we can trust you and we need your help figuring everything out."

"You've always been the smartest of us," Ron chimed in, "and we want to tell you everything that has happened. We also want to know what happened to you, just in case you are involved in this mess too."

"And because you had has completely worried for two years." Hermione blushed under the glare Harry gave her, "Is there any way we can meet up after the match? So we can catch up?"

Fleur chimed in before she had a chance to respond, "We can meet in zee woods. I doubt zee Muggles will notice if we went in zere after dark."

Harry and Ron glanced at each other before looking at Hermione. "Um…"

Hermione shook her head, already knowing what they were going to say, "No, Fleur is coming too. Anything you tell me, I will just tell her so she might as well be there. I trust her with my life, she isn't going to tell anyone."

Ron grimaced while Harry nodded, "Alright. If you trust her then I do too. Let's try to meet up around midnight at the tree line. Hopefully a lot of the festivities will have died down by then and nobody will notice us."

After seeing their confirmation, Harry pulled Hermione in for another tight hug which she returned. "It's nice having you back, 'Mione."

She felt another set of arms wrap tightly around her and she quickly adjusted so she had an arm around each boy. "We really did miss you, Hermione. Hogwarts just wasn't the same without you." Ron said.

Hermione felt tears fill her eyes. All this time she had thought that Harry and Ron had forgotten about her and moved on with their lives, but instead they had just as desperately been trying to get ahold of her. "I missed you guys too. So, so much."

She felt a hand rest on the small of her back and turned around to see Fleur giving her a sad look. **"** _We really must be going, Maya._ **"**

Hermione nodded her agreement and pulled back to see Harry and Ron giving her sad smiles. She gave them a watery one in return and quickly wiped away a few tears that fell.

"This isn't the last time we'll see each other, 'Mione." Ron said, "We promise."

"Now that we know that you hadn't just forgot about us, we will figure something out so we can talk." Harry gripped her shoulder. "Which we will. All the time. You'll see."

Hermione just nodded at them and gave them another quick hug before taking Fleur's hand and allowing herself to be pulled away. She watched them for as long as she could (they didn't move from their spot as they watched her leave) before getting lost in the excited crowd of the World Cup.

-xXx-

 **AN:** I just realized that there were no breaks in this chapter...oops

 **Thanks for reading!**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

 **AN:** Hope you guys are having a great Monday. My weekend didn't last long enough so today has just dragged on. That being said, I haven't proof-read this chapter so there are probably a ton of mistakes. If you catch any, let me know and I'll fix them.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter. That will never change.

-xXx-

Fleur wrapped her arm around Hermione's shoulder and kissed her mate on the temple as they walked towards their family's tent. The girl had been heartbroken since they had left Harry and Ron (which was something that the blonde could not fault her for) and Fleur was desperate to make the girl feel happy again.

" _It will be alright, my lioness. We will see them tonight._ **"**

Fleur felt Hermione sigh as she leaned into her, **"** _I know. But I just found them again and right as we were catching up we got interrupted by some stupid horny boy._ **"**

" _Ugh. Do not remind me of that buffoon. I cannot believe somebody could be that ignorant._ **"**

Hermione chuckled, **"** _I am sorry, my love, but it was rather entertaining to see him try to gain your attention while knowing that it was all for nothing._ **"**

" _Which he should have realized! How could I even think of somebody else when I have you in my life?_ **"**

" _Charmer._ **"** Hermione leaned up to kiss her on the cheek (which Fleur could only grin broadly at) as they rounded the corner to the tent.

" _I cannot help it, Maya. You bring out the ro- What did you do?!_ **"**

Fleur stared dumbfounded at her father and sister, or rather, at their multi-colored hair. Both had matching mischievous grins as they waived their Bulgarian and Irish flags around. Fleur glanced at her mother (who had begun to massage her temples) in disbelief.

" _Maman…what?_ **"**

Apolline sighed and shook her head, **"** _We were walking around after the tent was set up and came across a wizard selling dye and paint. Your father got it in his head that since we were not really supporting either team, that they should support BOTH teams and the only way to do that was by painting their faces red and green. Well, somehow, Gabrielle convinced the man to dye her bright, blonde hair the same way and Damien thought it was such a good idea that he did the same._ **"**

Hermione was almost doubled over in laughter while Fleur pointed between the two. **"** _You look like a pair of Solstice trees!_ **"**

Gabrielle took offence to this and stomped her foot, **"** _We do not! We look like neutral parties for this Quidditch match and are here to simply enjoy the match._ **"**

" _But did you have to choose red and green?! The Bulgarian colors are red and black and Irish colors are green and white. Why not paint yourself white and black, or red and white, or green and black? Who thought it was a good idea to paint you RED and GREEN?_ **"**

" _You are just jealous, Fleur._ **"** Gabrielle turned her back to her, folded her arms, and stuck her head in the air.

" _That is right. You are just jealous, Fleur._ **"** Damien said in the same tone and copied Gabrielle's pose.

Fleur just looked at her family in disbelief, shocked that her father ( _a grown man who should have more control of himself_ , she thought) would be so childish during an international match (in which they were surrounded by very influential people) like this. She looked to her mate for support only to see Hermione barely regaining control of herself from where she had been laughing. After looking at her mother (who only sighed in response to her glance), Fleur decided to drop it and just shook her head. **"** _Are we going to go find our seats or are we going to stand around here all day?_ **"**

She watched her father and sister link arms and skip away, singing some horribly translated Irish song in French which caused a lot of people to turn and look at the pair. Fleur felt Hermione begin to chuckle again and saw her mother face-palm out of the corner of her eye.

" _Do we really have to go?_ **"** Fleur turned to her mother, **"** _I can think of a hundred things that we could rather be doing than sitting through a boring Quidditch match with the Solstice twins._ **"**

" _I bet you can._ **"** Fleur simply raised her eyebrow at her mother's suggestive tone. She had gotten over her embarrassment of how her Veela thought about Hermione a long time ago. Since then, no amount of teasing caused her face to glow the bright red it used to (no matter how hard her family and friends tried).

They had a staring match before Apolline sighed, **"** _If I have to sit through the boring Quidditch match with the Solstice twins then you have to sit through the boring Quidditch match with the Solstice twins. And trust me…I HAVE to sit through the boring Quidditch match with the Solstice twins, so you HAVE to too. Let us just go, pretend that we are having a good time, and get it over with. Alright?_ **"**

Fleur groaned, **"** _Maman, please._ **"** After the day they had already had, she definitely did not want to go sit in an uncomfortable seat, surrounded by a bunch of witches and wizards that would more than likely not leave them alone, and watch a very boring game between two teams that she did not care about. All she wanted was some peace and quiet with her mate. Was that too hard to ask for?

" _Come on, Fleur._ **"** Hermione grabbed ahold of her hand and started tugging her in the direction of the stadium, **"** _Let us go see who can keep track of the Snitch the longest._ **"**

The blonde whined pitifully as she allowed her mate to drag her in the direction of the stadium. She heard her mother chuckle behind them, but did not pay the older woman any attention. _At least I know Hermione will be beside me_ , Fleur thought as they began to climb the stairs, _that way I will at least have SOMETHING to keep me occupied while the match drags on._

-oOo-

" _It is hovering by the Bulgarian Keeper, yes?_ **"**

" _Yes. It keeps buzzing around his head and the dumb oaf keeps swatting it like a fly._ **"**

" _Idiot. He should just reach out and grab it so the match could end and we can leave._ **"**

" _The match has only just begun!_ _ **"**_

" _It does not matter. The Bulgarians are already down seven goals._ _ **"**_

" _Maybe he knows that the Snitch is there and he is just hoping that his team can catch up._ **"** As Hermione said this, the Quaffle went sailing past him and into the center hoop.

Fleur chuckled, **"** _Not with reflexes like that._ **"**

" _Not everyone can have creature reflexes like you two. Go easy on the poor boy._ **"** Hermione glanced over to see Apolline finally look out at the field. The older blonde had had her head in her hands ever since the Bulgarian Veela had begun to dance and hadn't looked up since. Of course, Hermione had understood Apolline's disappointment and disgust; the group had played into the stereotype the Wizarding World had on Veela which degraded the whole race. She had felt Fleur tense up during their performance also, but that was more than likely due to the large amount of Thrall being released in the stadium rather than their actual dance.

" _Welcome back to the match, Maman. Did you enjoy your nap?_ **"** Fleur smiled cheekily at her mother.

Hermione was not surprised at the glare the blonde received. **"** _I was not asleep, I was thinking. I will have to inform Mother about what our Sisters have done. That was disrespectful and degrading. They know how hard we work to break down the stereotypes surrounding us._ **"**

" _Perhaps if more people saw us as the Harpy and not as a beautiful toy, then they would leave us alone._ **"** Fleur sniffed delicately.

Hermione squeezed the hand she held until Fleur turned her attention to her. **"** _That is the Veela talking and it is wrong. Now, help me find the Snitch again, it moved._ **"**

Luckily, the topic was dropped without much fight and they resumed looking for the Snitch (which they found making lazy figure eights high above their heads). Damien and Gabrielle (who had been engaged with the match since the beginning) continued to cheer for whoever had the Quaffle. Hermione was actually surprised that Gabrielle enjoyed the sport (she discovered a long time ago that the girl didn't have the patience for a lot of things), but Fleur explained that it wasn't so much the sport itself her sister like, but rather the Beater position the girl loved. After thinking on it for a moment, Hermione determined that it made sense. Gabrielle had always (or, at least for as long as Hermione had known her) been a wild child (Apolline's words, not hers).

Hermione thought that it was rather unfortunate that Gabrielle would never be able to be a Beater in professional Quidditch (which was the girl's dream job and nobody was willing to tell her otherwise at this point). There was an international law stating that any persons with at least fifty percent creature blood flowing through their veins could not participate in any sort of competition. Hermione could, somewhat, understand the reason for the rule. Her Kanaima blood made spotting the Snitch ridiculously easy (the shininess of it always demanded her attention). If she were to play professional Quidditch (not that she would, she couldn't fly to save her life), the odds would be stacked in her favor.

It was an extremely unfair rule though because not all creature blood worked the same. Just because she had quick reflexes did not necessarily mean that she could catch the Quaffle if it were to be thrown at her. Hermione was almost positive that if she were ever to actually play Quidditch (once again, _extremely_ unlikely, no matter how much Fleur and Gabrielle pleaded), all of her attention would be on the Snitch and nothing she did would change that. She was sure of this because it was hard to focus on what Fleur (her soulmate, for Merlin's sake) was saying due to the presence of the shiny ball.

The same could be said for Gabrielle. Veela were only super strong when in the Harpy form and while, yes, their creature blood made their senses and reflexes better than the average witches and wizards, none of that would help the girl if she were to be a Beater. If she were to ever actually play, it would be like a normal witch was playing the position, not a Veela.

Hermione had been livid when she had first heard of the rule from Fleur. It had been during one of their late night talks and Fleur mentioned that she loved broom racing, but could never race professionally because of the law. Of course, after Hermione discovered what all entailed of broom racing (extreme conditions and difficult obstacles), she had been secretly pleased that Fleur would never do that. But that still did not stop Hermione's outrage at the injustice of it all.

Hermione was brought out of her thoughts as a cheer erupted throughout the crowd as the Bulgarians (finally) scored their first point. She chuckled slightly at Fleur's dejected sigh and leaned into her mate, determined to enjoy her first professional Quidditch match without over thinking the Wizarding World.

-oOo-

Night soon fell and the entire stadium seemed to have a change in attitude. It had become apparent earlier on (at least to her) that there was nothing the Bulgarians could do to win and their only hope was to find the Snitch and end it. And Hermione meant for Krum to find it; the Irish team looked like they were enjoying the slaughter. Fleur had long since grown bored with their little game of Snitch hunting and had been tracing patterns on the inside of her wrist and playing with her fingers for hours. Hermione couldn't understand how that kept the blonde entertained, but then again, she had been keeping a constant vigil on the glittering Snitch the entire time.

Finally, she saw a flash of red swoop in and grab the Snitch out of the air, bringing an end to the game. She barely heard Fleur's **'** _Thank Merlin_ **'** over the roar of the crowd as Krum held the Snitch above his head. Hermione didn't have time to register that the Irish anthem had begun to play before she was pulled from her seat and dragged down the stairs.

" _Fleur! Stop. Where are we going?!_ **"**

The blonde didn't turn around as she gracefully navigated the twisting staircases and dodged a few disappointed fans that were also making their way out of the stadium. **"** _To the tent. I have had enough noise for today. I want peace and quiet and to be alone with you._ **"**

Hermione could only laugh at the girl and allow herself to be dragged down the stairs. She felt kind of bad when some poor man was pushed out of the way by the impatient blonde. The glare they received caused her to irrupt into giggles and shout a 'Désolé!' over her shoulder. She barely heard the 'Damn, foreigners' response from him before Fleur's giggling had her turning her attention back onto her mate.

Before she knew it, Hermione found herself in front of a bright blue tent. She barely had time to appreciate the swirly designs on the outside or the decorations set up (personally, she thought the bird bath was a bit much) before Fleur dragged her inside.

"This is a tent?!"

Even though Fleur had pre-warned her about the magical tent, seeing it for the first time completely took Hermione's breath away. It reminded her of how amazed she had been the first time she saw McGonagall change into a cat and back again.

Fleur chuckled as she tugged on Hermione's hand, leading her past the main entrance (which Hermione could only gaze open-mouthed up at the crystalline chandelier). **"** _I told you. This is a magical tent, not a Muggle tent._ **"**

Hermione could only shake her head as they passed a large fireplace. "With magic like this, why are there even problems in the world?" she muttered.

"Because people are greedy and petty and jealous?" Fleur shrugged her shoulders. "Who knows why people do anyzing, but zat does not matter at zee moment."

Hermione looked around the bedroom that she found herself in and could only laugh. **"** _You had an exact replica of your room made inside a tent?_ **"**

Fleur gave her a lopsided grin as she reclined on the bed, **"** _Of course! Why would I not? I love my bedroom and if I am going to be forced to be in close quarters with my family, why not be comfortable._ **"**

Hermione shook her head and moved to lay on the bed also, cuddling into the blonde's side. **"** _Of course. How silly of me to think otherwise._ **"**

" _You are forgiven._ **"** Fleur jokingly said, kissing her on top of the head.

They laid there in comfortable silence, the cheers from the victorious Irish fans slowly growing louder as time passed. Hermione chuckled silently as she heard the Irish song that Gabrielle and Damien were singing earlier being sung again only in English this time and by, what sounded like, a group of overly intoxicated men. She kissed the base of Fleur's throat as she heard the blonde growl in annoyance and was tugged closer in response.

" _If only the French team had been here and had won, then there would not be so many drunken idiots outside._ **"**

Hermione could only smile at the grumbling, **"** _If you say so._ **"**

Fleur sighed, **"** _Yes, you are probably right. Nothing would change because all wizards become stupid when in large crowds. No matter where they come from._ **"**

" _You know this from experience?_ **"** Hermione raised herself up to look the blonde in the eye.

" _Of course! Take school for example. All of the students have a degree of wisdom about them, but put them together and they suddenly have to prove themselves to each other. This leads to stupidity and bad decisions._ **"**

" _And only wizards do this?_ **"**

" _Them and Muggles. All humans have this need to prove themselves to one another. To one up everybody else and prove who the best is._ **"**

" _So that time you and Amélie…_ **"**

Fleur sat up so fast that Hermione barely had time to move out of the way. **"** _THAT was different and you know it! It was not my fault that Amélie got caught and then blamed me so we both got in trouble. It was all unfortunate timing and Amélie not being able to keep her damn mouth shut._ **"**

Hermione chuckled and shook her head, **"** _My apologies, I was mistaken. I thought that you two were trying to prove who the better prankster was. How silly of me to think that._ **"**

" _Yes, that was very silly of you. In fact,_ **"** Hermione smiled internally as Fleur pushed her flat on her back and moved so that she was straddling her. **"** _I am going to need more than a simple apology for that particular insult._ **"**

" _I hardly think I insulted you._ **"** Hermione scoffed and turned her head. A firm hand grasping her hair and pulling her head back left her gasping and staring up at the dark eyed blonde.

" _Yes, you did and you know it._ **"** Fleur began to kiss down her exposed neck. **"** _Insinuating that I was the same as some stupid wizard or Muggle. I have no need to prove myself to anybody because,_ **"** Hermione moaned loudly and unconsciously bucked her hips as Fleur bit the base of her neck. **"** _I already know that I am the best._ **"**

"Yep…yep," Hermione barely managed to gasp out as Fleur soothed the sting with her tongue and moved back up her neck to kiss along her jawline, "the best."

She barely registered the whispered 'Good girl' against her lips before Fleur brought her in for a searing kiss. Hermione winced slightly at the painful clacking of teeth, but quickly forgot about it as a tongue met hers. She grasped at the back of the blonde's shirt, trying to anchor herself to the real world and not lose herself to the Thrall's Haze. She instantly lost the battle when Fleur bit her bottom lip sharply. Hermione felt her thoughts cloud over as she heard Fleur say something in Veela before resuming the dominating kiss.

Time soon lost all meaning to her. The drunken cheers outside slowly faded into a faint buzzing sound as Hermione became hyper aware of the blonde on top of her. The vanilla scent that she loved so much filled her senses and caused her to forget where they were and what was going on around them. All she could do was moan into the lips pressed tightly against hers and loosely grip the platinum blonde hair. A hum emerged in the back of her throat as Fleur slowly began to rock their hips together.

Hermione could only lay there and pant heavily as Fleur suddenly broke the kiss and sat straight up. The brunette brushed away her damp bangs and fought her way through the Haze, trying to understand what had caused her mate to stop. It took her a few moments to gain her bearings, but she finally registered Fleur's head turned away from her and her eyes narrowed in concentration. Hermione propped herself up on her elbows and tried to see what caught the blonde's attention.

"Wha…" she started to speak, but Fleur quickly pressed a finger against her lips.

" _Shush, Maya. Something is wrong._ **"**

Hermione listened intently, trying to figure out what her mate had detected, when she heard a faint scream come from outside. **"** _It is just the Irish, yes? They are partying too much._ **"**

Fleur quickly shook her head and tapped the side of her nose. **"** _No, I smell smoke. Too much smoke for campfires._ **"**

They heard another scream, this time closer to them, and looked at each other in alarm. They quickly scrambled off of the bed and raced outside, praying that nothing serious was wrong. What greeted them instead was a panicked crowd rushing past them away from a group of wizards in black robes.

Hermione felt her eyes widen in shock and her wand unconsciously sprung into her hand. Her body surged with adrenaline as she stared at the approaching group. They were laughing and jeering at those running away, sending spells after them which caused more screams. She saw one blast a tent into pieces and another set one on fire. Hermione felt bile rise in her throat as the smell of burning flesh reached her nose.

A movement to her left caused her to turn and see a group of Magicals advancing on the group with their wands out. She took a step forward, prepared to help them, when she looked up and saw figures being levitated high above the jeering wizards' heads. It felt like a bucket of cold water went down her back as she gazed at the broken forms of the Muggles who owned the campground.

" _Shit._ **"** She heard Fleur curse before her arm was grasped and Hermione was pulled away, **"** _Come on! We have to go._ **"**

Hermione didn't resist as Fleur navigated them through the panicked crowd. They hadn't gone but a few meters when she sensed something flying at them from behind. She quickly pulled Fleur with her to the left and watched in horror as a spell sailed past them and collided with a tent, causing it to explode. The grip that Fleur had on her tightened for a moment in thanks as they continued to run.

They went with the flow of the crowd, dodging the few witches and wizards who raced the opposite way to combat the group. Hermione felt weird not going to help them, but the image of the Muggles floating over their heads haunted her. She felt herself grow sick as she imagined Fleur being tortured and humiliated like that and urged her mate to run faster towards the forest.

Neither spoke a word (not that they would've been able to hear each other with all of the screams around them) until after they broke through the tree line and found themselves alone in a clearing. It was only then that Fleur turned and pulled her in for a tight hug.

" _Are you alright?_ **"**

Hermione nodded and buried her face into the blonde's neck. The urge to change into her fur, take her mate, and hide in the woods was hard to resist. She tightened her grip on the back of Fleur's shirt as she felt a hand run soothingly through her hair.

" _You cannot shift, Maya. Not while we are in Great Britain._ **"**

Hermione pulled back, the question of **'** _Why not?_ **'** on the tip of her tongue, when a rustling to their left caused them both to reflexively fire off spells in that general direction.

A familiar 'Bloody Hell' reaching her ears caused her to sigh in relief. She was about to call out to Ron, let him know that it was them, when Fleur suddenly pulled her to the right as a spell went sailing past.

"Dammit, Ronald!" Hermione shouted, "It's us."

She heard the questioned 'Hermione?' and the rustling of the bushes get louder. Harry and Ron cautiously walked into the clearing, Ron in the lead with his wand drawn. Upon seeing the boys unharmed, Hermione rushed to them and threw her arms around their necks.

"Are you two okay?"

She felt Harry nod against her while Ron leaned back slightly and nodded too. "Yea, got separated from the twins and Ginny, but we're okay. What about you two?" She saw him look towards Fleur. "You guys alright?"

Hermione was just about to respond when she heard Harry gasp and touch her neck. "What happened, 'Mione? Were you hit by a Stinging spell? Are you okay?"

Hermione just looked at him, confused as to what he was even talking about, when she heard Fleur begin to snicker behind her. Her face blushed a deep red as she immediately brought her hand up to cover the bite mark and tried to look anywhere but at Harry or Ron. _Dammit, Fleur_.

"…uh…"

She was saved from her embarrassment of trying to explain that no, it wasn't from a Stinging curse, by a stick snapping to their right. Everyone immediately tensed up, Hermione, Fleur, and Ron leveling their wands in the direction. She heard Harry take a deep breath as the faint footsteps they heard came to a sudden halt. The Boy-Who-Lived barely got the 'Hello?' out before a voice shouted out from the darkness and they all watched a beam of light rise into the sky and disappear into the clouds.

Hermione heard Fleur growl in the back of her throat as the skull materialized out of the clouds and a snake emerged from its gaping mouth. She reached out to grab the blonde's hand, needing the reassurance and safety from her mate.

Ron tugging on her other hand suddenly had her turning to look at him. "We have to go." The red head said desperately, "We have to go _now!_ " Hermione wasn't going to argue with that logic. Whoever had cast the spell had been very close to them and was more than likely not friendly.

Before they had managed to take more than a couple of steps, nearly twenty wizards popped into existence around them. Hermione noticed with some dread that they were completely surrounded and all of the wizards had their wands drawn and aimed at the four teenagers. She barely heard Harry's wild cry of 'DUCK!' before it was overpowered by all of the wizards shouting 'STUPEFY' at once.

Hermione tensed up as she watched the red beams of light came hurtling at them. Just before they reached the teenagers, the brunette felt a surge of magic sweep across the group, deflecting the spells away and back at the people who cast them. She welcomed the warmth of Fleur's magic for a brief moment before she leveled her blackthorn wand and began firing spells at those who remained standing.

The surrounding wizards didn't have a chance to defend themselves from the silent, and nearly invisible, spells coming their way. Hermione urged her magic to take their wands and throw the wizards away from their group. She pushed for some spells to cut and blind the opponent, wanting to ensure that they would not attack them again. The overpowering vanilla scent in the air indicated that Fleur was maintaining the Protego around them while firing off her own spells.

Hermione had collected a handful of wands and sent nearly that many wizards flying back into the woods when a voice suddenly shouted, "Stop! Stop, that's my son!"

She immediately stopped, recognizing the voice of Mr. Weasley, and reached behind her to touch Fleur's arm. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief as the blonde instantly returned the touch indicating that she was alright.

At the sound of his father's voice, Ron jumped up from the ground and took a step forward, obviously excited to see the older man. Hermione watched with some disgust as another man pushed past him, marched up to her, and thrust his hand out.

"My wand." He demanded with barely concealed rage. Hermione narrowed her eyes and was about to speak when she saw Fleur's hand reach over her shoulder and level the wand it held at him. "I do not know, Monsiuer. Per'aps it would be better if we kept it for a while. It is obvious zat you do not know what you are doing wiz it. Being disarmed by a teenager must be very embarrassing."

"Why you little b…"

Hermione cut him off with a growl and shoved the man away from them, pointing her own wand at his chest and pushing a few menacing sparks out of the tip. She felt herself bare her teeth as he took a few steps backwards. Nobody insulted her mate.

"Enough, Barty, this is not the time to be picking fights." Hermione sensed another person come from their right. Her eyes never left the old man (Barty) as the unknown man spoke to her. "Girl, please return Mr. Crouch's wand to him. There are Death Eaters in these woods and we need everyone prepared."

She heard Fleur gasp, "Deaz Eaters? Zat group was a group of Deaz Eaters?"

"Aye and that is the Dark Mark. Somebody near here cast it which is why we Apparated immediately. You four were the only ones in the area which is why we attacked and for that, I apologize."

"Don't apologize, Amos. You said it yourself, these four are the only ones in the area so it was obviously one of them." Hermione sneered as Mr. Crouch looked her up and down with disdain, "And I bet I know _exactly_ who it was."

"She didn't do anything!" Harry pushed Mr. Crouch out of the way so he stood between them. "Somebody over there," he pointed to their right, "cast the spell! It sounded like a man and if you hurry you might catch him."

"It's probably too late." Some woman from the group said, "They'll have Disapparated by now."

"Not necessarily." Hermione finally turned to see the man named Amos draw his wand and stalk in the direction Harry pointed. "Some of the deflected spells went in that direction so we might've got lucky."

Amos was gone for only a few seconds before he returned with a small bundle in his arms. Hermione became even more confused about the situation when she heard Harry whisper 'Winky?'. She watched on as Amos laid the bundle (which she now easily recognized as a house elf) in the middle of the clearing and gave Mr. Crouch a significant look.

"That's impossible Diggory." Mr. Crouch shook his head as he walked towards the elf. "She would've had to have a wand to cast the Mark."

"Which she had." Amos produced a wand from his pocket. "Which means that she broke the law and must be punished."

"Hey! That's mine."

Hermione looked towards Harry in disbelief. _He didn't have his wand on him the whole time?_

Everyone in the area looked at the Boy-Who-Lived with the same look on their faces which caused him to look down in embarrassment and mutter, "I dropped it earlier."

Hermione shook her head, "Oh, Harry."

"Well…I think we can all agree that the Boy-Who-Lived wouldn't have cast the Dark Mark." Mr. Weasley looked around, waiting for all the assembled Magicals to nod their agreement before gesturing to Mr. Diggory. "Wake her up, Amos. Let's see how she got a hold of Harry's wand."

Hermione watched in disgust as the elf was Ennervated and interrogated by Mr. Crouch and Mr. Diggory. The poor thing was shaking so badly, tears in her eyes, as the two wizards berated her ruthlessly. It was when Mr. Barty Crouch (Hermione really hated that man) threw his scarf at her, that something was done.

"Enough!" Fleur called out and marched over to them, pushing the older man out of the way. "Enough of zis! Zis 'ouse elf did NOT cast zee Dark Mark. I know zat, you know zat, every damn person 'ERE knows zat. Zis is 'umilating and disrespectful and I will not allow it to go on any furzer."

Hermione watched in pride as her mate glared down the old Wizard until he dropped eye contact and stepped away. It was only when he had walked a good ways away that Fleur turned to the weeping elf and bent down. **"** _My friend, do you understand my words?_ **"** The house elf gave a pitiful sob and nodded, keeping her face covered all the while.

" _Can you tell me your name?_ **"**

The elf finally lowered her hands to look at the blonde before her with large, tear filled eyes, **"** _M-m-my name b-be Winky, Miss._ **"**

" _It is nice to meet you, Winky. I know that you loved your former master, your bond with him was very strong. But I do not agree with him. I know that you were telling the truth and you do not deserve to receive the cloth._ **"**

Winky wiped her eyes and just stared at the ground. Fleur placed her hand on the elf's shoulder, **"** _You have not done anything wrong, no matter what these wizards say, and it is that reason that I wish for you to join my family. I want you to know that my family is very large, very kind, and very caring. You will never be falsely accused of something just so your master can save face._ **"**

"You have no right!"

Fleur turned to look at the red faced Mr. Crouch and sneered, "I 'ave EVERY right. You were in zee wrong and you are not man enough to admit it."

Mr. Diggory stepped forward, "Girl, I am assuming that you are offering this elf a home, but that is not allowed. She has broken the law and must be punished as such. I don't know how they do it in France, but here in Britain we follow the law."

Hermione saw Fleur roll her eyes before turning back to the elf. **"** _What do you say, my friend? Will you join my family and leave this country where you are treated as little more than a servant?_ **"**

Winky stared wide-eyed at Fleur and said in awe, **"** _You be serious? Even though Winky got offered clothes, you still offer Winky a place in your family?_ **"**

" _Of course! You are a good elf, Winky, and you have done no wrong. Anybody can see that if they wanted to._ **"**

Winky gave off a loud wail and threw herself at Fleur, clutching the blonde while thanking her repeatedly. Hermione missed what else was exchanged between the two due to Ron whispering to her, "Damn, 'Mione. Your girlfriend is awesome."

The brunette could only smirk at him, "I know."

Her attention turned back to her mate as she heard a 'crack' indicating that Winky had popped away on some errand. She smiled at Fleur as the blonde walked over to her. **"** _I sent her to find our family. Hopefully she will return soon so we can get out of this backwards country._ **"**

Hermione opened her mouth, ready to agree when she was cut off. "Who the Hell do you think you are?!" She turned to see both Mr. Crouch and Mr. Diggory stalk towards them, which one had shouted was unknown to her.

Fleur once more rolled her eyes, took her by the hand, and started towards the campground. **"** _Come on, Maya. We would be safer with the Death Eaters than these people at this point._ **"**

"I asked you a question, Girl. Do you realize that you have just interfered in a criminal investigation?"

Hermione was proud of Fleur for ignoring the grown children. By that point, even though she had reunited with Harry and Ron, she was ready to leave this country and go home. Of course, the spell that sailed past them and into the trees insured that they wouldn't be leaving anytime soon.

Fleur whirled around with a snarl, "I am Fleur Delacour!" Hermione noted with some amusement that Mr. Crouch's face instantly turned white. "And if you zink zat I give a single DAMN about your stupid, biased laws, zen you 'ave anozer zing coming, Wizard. You unjustly accused an innocent elf of a crime she did NOT commit despite what we, ZEE WITNESSES, said. You did zis immediately and wizout giving 'er a trial which she 'as a right to as a living being. And why did you do zis? Because you, Amos Diggory, 'ead of zee Department for zee Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures," Fleur sneered at his shocked look, "do not care about zee beings you are put in charge of. Now, I will not be giving Winky to you to interrogate and punish for somezing zat she did not do. I will, 'owever, forgive you for firing a spell at us while our backs were turned if you allow us to leave now, wizout anymore words or disputes from anybody in your group."

Hermione watched as Mr. Diggory opened his mouth, his bright red face betraying his intense fury, ready to yell at the blonde for her disrespect. Before he managed to utter a sound, Mr. Crouch grabbed ahold of his arm and shook his head. No words were spoken between the two (which Hermione found odd) before she saw Mr. Diggory huff angrily and turn his back on them. She watched as Mr. Crouch walked towards them and glance briefly at her before turning his attention to Fleur. "Miss. Delacour…I am sorry for all of this mess, but you must understand that this is a stressful time for us all."

"Of course, Monsieur Crouch. All I want at zis point is to go and see if zee rest of my family is alright."

"Right, right. We wouldn't want to keep you any longer. If I could just get my wand back, then you both are free to go and we will forget that this whole thing ever happened."

Hermione saw Fleur give her a nod out of the corner of her eye and reluctantly returned the man his wand (she noted that he quickly took it, making sure not to touch her in any way the entire time). He nodded his head in thanks and returned to the group. She watched as all of the witches and wizards discussed something briefly before Apparating away.

She gave Harry and Ron a parting look as Fleur lead her towards the forest. Hermione had been looking forward to meeting with them, she hadn't been looking forward to the subject matter so much, more just being in the company of her two best friends. She felt torn though. With all that happened, however, now she just wanted to find her family and get out of here.

Harry saw her unsure expression and elbowed Ron in the side. The redhead got a look of intense concentration on his face before bringing his hands to his mouth and calling across the clearing, "Don't worry 'Mione! We got an idea! Look for an owl from us soon!"

Hermione smiled and gave them a small wave indicating that she heard them, relieved that they understood her dilemma. She had no clue how they were going to send her an owl (especially if Mrs. Weasley _was_ going through their mail), but she trusted them. They would figure it out.

Somehow.

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

 **AN:** Here's to another week! I want to thank everybody who has reviewed/favorited/followed this story. I haven't really addressed you guys, but I love every single one of you (even my lurkers who don't make their presence known). I want to respond to a few of your reviews, but first, let me say that this chapter was hard to write. I have no clue why, but I had to have rewrote this, like, five or six times. Ridiculous. Reason I'm telling you this is that there might be some dialogue or sentences that don't make any sense (I proofread through this all day, but I'm afraid I didn't catch them all). If you see any sentences that are like this, let me know. Please.

Now, Duner89 brought up an interesting point about Ron and Harry sending them a letter that was charmed to look like a letter to Fleur from Bill. I considered this (truly and for a long period of time), but decided against it. Main reason being, can you imagine the headache it would cause if Molly got ahold of it and confronted Bill about it? That would cause more problems than solutions I would think.

Brian1972: (This is in response to your review from Chp 15) The situation with Maxime is going to start explaining itself. Hopefully this chapter answers some of your questions and the rest will be figured out in, probably not the next two chapters, but the one after that. Also, I had to reread your response, but I had a question that I hope anybody can answer. Why was Gabrielle at Hogwarts during the TWT? I honestly forgot that only those who could compete were allowed to go to Hogwarts that year from the other schools (I corrected for that, I hope). So, why was Gabrielle there? And you can't tell me that she was only there for the Second Challenge because I highly doubt her parents would allow her to be used as a hostage in a potentially deadly situation.

Finally, one of my guests didn't like the fact that I was going to hate on Molly and...sorry dear Guest, but I have to. The woman has no redeeming qualities that I can find. In my opinion, she is manipulative, cunning, and is willing to do anything necessary to get her way. If you have a FF account, PM me and I would be more than happy to argue with you on this (I love a good debate!).

I'm glad everybody enjoyed my action scene last chapter. I'm really exploring my writing talent with this fic (not used to writing action at all) so I'm happy that it went over well. Anyways, that's it. Hope you enjoy.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own HP, the TWT, or...anything really. I'm not even sure if I own some of the magic I'm making up. Oh well.

-xXx-

" _Welcome back students to another exciting year at Beauxbatons Academy of Magic! To all the new students, I give a warm welcome and am sure that…_ **"**

" _Honestly, I'm surprised your mother let you come to school at all considering what happened._ **"** Fleur tried to ignore Amélie whispering to her right as she focused on Madame Maxime's welcome speech.

" _Yes,_ **"** her cousin, Cleménce, snickered across the table, **"** _I heard that Aunt Apolline was very upset with you and Maya for running off during the attack._ **"** Fleur actively tried to ignore her friends' whisperings, but was failing miserably. Truthfully, she herself was surprised that her mother had let them go as far away as Beauxbatons, all things considering.

After getting ambushed by the British wizards and rescuing Winky, Fleur and Hermione had found that the attack on the campground had ended (somebody told them that the group of wizards had fled after the Dark Mark was cast) and went to search for their family. Luckily, Winky had no trouble finding them and was able to lead her and Hermione to where they were. After ensuring that everyone was okay, they immediately packed up the tent and Port Keyed home.

Once in the safety of the manor, her mother rounded on them and demanded to know what had happened and where they had gone. Apparently, her mother, father, and sister had been enjoying some of the festivities that were going on when the attack happened. They had raced back to the tent to get them only to find it empty and immediately began to panic. Fleur had had to apologize profusely for worrying her mother, explaining that the attacking group had almost been upon them and they were forced to run to safety to wait it out.

After she had finished telling their tale of running into the woods and getting attacked by the British wizards (she purposely left out the fact that she and Hermione got into a dueling match with them), her mother nearly burst into tears and pulled them both into tight hugs, refusing to let go for the longest time. Her father had been proud of them for defending Winky during her interrogation and immediately called the elf to him. Once she had popped into the room, he welcomed her to the family and reaffirmed everything Fleur had told her in the forest. Winky cried with joy and gave the man a hug, popping away soon after to acquaint herself with the other elves and get situated in her new home.

By that time it was well after midnight and her mother insisted that they all go to bed (the crazy woman wanted them all to bunk together for safety, but everyone immediately shot the idea down. _Thank, Merlin_ ). Fleur waited for her mother and sister to leave before she and Hermione told her father about what truly happened in the forest.

Her father had praised them for fighting back and their quick thinking during the situation _._ When she got to the part where Mr. Diggory fired a spell at their backs, he just sighed and shook his head, **"** _Diggory is very biased towards those he deems to be 'creatures' despite being a known 'light and progressive' wizard. Truthfully, he more than likely knew that you were Veela and, since you knew who he was, thought you were being disrespectful to him due to his position and sought to punish you._ **"**

Fleur watched as he ran his hand through his hair, **"** _You were lucky that Barty was there to be honest. I am afraid that if he had not been in charge, that entire scenario might have ended differently for you two. As you know, I used to work for Gringott's in Diagon Alley before being transferred to the branch in Paris. During that time, I worked closely with the British Aurors a lot and got to know Barty very well when he was Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. He actually attended mine and your mother's wedding. He probably thought you looked like her, but did not make the connection until you said your name._ **"**

Fleur looked at him in confusion, **"** _Is he not the head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation? I figured he would know me through Grandmaman and respect me that way._ **"**

" _I highly doubt that._ _ **"**_ Her father laughed before shaking his head, **"** _Barty never was one to be cowed by those higher in rank than him; that is what made him such a great Auror. He probably would have recognized you through Régine, but I doubt he would have let you go so easily. He does not like those who get through life by using their family name._ **"**

" _No matter how he recognized you,_ **"** Hermione had said, **"** _I am just happy that he did. I do not want to know what would have happened if he had not let us go._ **"**

What her father said next had sent shivers down Fleur's spine, **"** _Honestly? You both would have probably ended up in a British holding cell since you did, technically, break their laws._ **"**

After that, Fleur had ended the discussion and thanked every deity she could think of that Mr. Crouch knew her family. She did not want to think about her and Hermione being forced into a British prison and being processed as creatures. They probably would have never been allowed to leave.

The next morning (and all the days leading up to them returning to Beauxbatons), her mother refused to let them out of her sight. It had become a hassle for everyone (not that the older woman noticed) and Fleur found herself owing her sister a ton of favors for running interference when she and Hermione wanted to be alone. She sent a quick thanks to the younger blonde and felt sorry for her for having the full force of their mother's attention.

Of course, she knew where her mother was coming from. Hermione had not left her side since they had returned to France.

Amélie's laugh had her coming out of her musings, **"** _Well, if her and Maya had not been so desperate to be alone …_ **"**

Fleur whirled around to glare at the smirking Amélie, **"** _That is not how it happened and you know it. The attack would have occurred whether we were with Maman or not. She praised us for having enough sense to get to safety and was thankful that neither of us was hurt. Every day after that has just been her way of showing how scared she had been of losing me, Maya, or Gabrielle, and frankly I do not blame her for it. Now shut up, I cannot hear Maxime._ **"**

Amélie rolled her eyes, **"** _As if she ever says anything important. It is always the same thing and you know it. I am more interested in hearing about how you and Maya escaped British Aurors._ **"**

" _That is right, Fleur._ **"** Somebody whispered from farther down the table, **"** _Is it true that you both took on an entire armada of Aurors and kicked their asses?_ **"**

" _I heard that she went Harpy and set fire to the forest, driving out both the Aurors and Death Eaters._ **"** Another student whispered.

Fleur groaned into her hands, giving up on paying attention to the speech as more people began to discuss what had happened during the Quidditch World Cup. The rumors got more ridiculous as people began joining the conversation and the blonde eventually tuned everyone out and focused on the connection with her mate. It was times like this that she wished the Years were allowed to mingle during important feasts instead of being separated. She could really use Hermione's calming presence at this point.

The entire hall gasping and cheering caused her to look up in confusion. The entirety of the Seventh Year table was basically celebrating while most of the students from the other Years seemed disappointed. Fleur turned around and watched in confusion as one Fifth Year began to sob and was comforted by a nearby student. She felt Hermione's overwhelming joy and knew that she had missed something very important.

" _What is going on?_ **"** Fleur asked Amélie, who just shrugged in response. She looked around at her fellow Sixth Years to see them all confused. Apparently, they had been so focused on teasing her about the World Cup incident that nobody had paid attention.

Sighing in frustration, she turned around and asked one of the Fifth Years behind her. Unfortunately, the boy she asked turned bright red and hid his face from her. Luckily though, before she completely lost her temper with the entire situation, the girl who had been comforting her friend spoke up, **"** _The Triwizard Tournament is being reinstated this year and only the best Seventh Years will be allowed to go and compete. There will be a competition during the next few weeks to see who will be allowed to go._ **"**

Fleur looked at the girl in confusion, **"** _Alright, but what does that have to do with the rest of the years?_ **"**

She barely contained the growl that welled up as the girl gave her a dumb look, **"** _Were you not paying attention at all?_ **"**

" _Just get on with it, little girl._ **"** Amélie butted into the conversation, **"** _Why is your friend in tears?_ **"**

The girl rolled her eyes as she gave one final pat on the back to the boy in tears and turned fully to face them, **"** _Apparently, Madame Maxime did not like the idea of only taking her Seventh Years overseas and was able to negotiate that the top three students from all the Years being brought along as part of a…Foreign Learning Program, or something like that. That way they have a chance of learning from some of the greatest Masters in the Wizarding World and become even better students than the rest of us._ **"**

Amélie began to excitedly elbow her in the side, **"** _Fleur! Fleur, that is us! We are the top students in Sixth Year!_ **"**

Fleur immediately shushed her and turned back to the girl, **"** _Where is the Tournament taking place?_ **"**

" _Hogwarts, of course. I highly doubt that Durmstrang…_ **"** Fleur tuned out the girl as her thoughts turned to Hermione. No wonder her mate was so excited. Here was the perfect opportunity to return to her school and see all of her friends again. There would be no need for worrying over owls between her, Harry, and Ron as they would all be in the same school for the year. There was only one problem that Fleur saw with the entire thing…

" _Ooh, your mother will never allow this._ **"** Amélie began to laugh as she groaned quietly to herself. **"** _She had a hard enough time letting you come to Beauxbatons of all places. And even then your father had to basically make her. I can only imagine the struggle you will have of talking her into letting you both go to Scotland for a year._ **"**

Fleur rubbed her temples while she thought, **"** _Maybe it will not be so bad. Hogwarts is supposed to be the safest location in the world and I highly doubt anybody would be stupid enough to do something while a large group of students was visiting. I mean, they would have to have extra security around the place during this Tournament, right?_ **"**

Amélie just shrugged and turned to the food that had appeared before them, **"** _I do not know, I have never been to Hogwarts before. What I do know is that I am happy that it is you in this situation and not me._ _ **"**_

Fleur frowned down at her plate. Surely her mother would see reason. Not only was the Triwizard Tournament a legendary event, but she knew that Hermione was dying to return to Hogwarts. Not that the brunette did not like Beauxbatons (even though her and the headmistress still butted heads all the time), but Fleur was able to tell when Hermione missed her first Wizarding school and the friends she made there.

Shaking her head, Fleur turned to the meal set before her and smiled as she felt her mate's excitement. Hermione was not worried about asking her mother so there was no reason for her to be.

-oOo-

" _Absolutely not._ **"**

" _Maman!_ **" "** _Please, Apolline._ **"**

" _No. Do neither of you remember what happened the last time we went to Britain? How could I let you two go back there for an entire year?_ **"**

" _Technically, Hogwarts is in Scotland._ **"** Hermione muttered. Fleur giggled at her mate as the older blonde glared at her.

" _You know what I mean. You know how biased Britain is towards creatures and it will be difficult for the both of you there._ **"**

" _A lot of our Sisters and young fledglings will be there._ **"** Fleur said, diplomatically, **"** _How would it look if I was not allowed to go? They would think that I am weak._ **"**

" _They would think you were smart. There is no need to place you or your mate in a potentially dangerous situation for nothing. It is not like neither of you can compete in this competition! You would just be going to learn from English Magicals what you could learn here in France. My answer is still no._ **"**

" _Please, Apolline._ **"** Hermione stepped closer to the woman, **"** _I miss my friends. I have not seen them for two years and none of my owls have gotten through. I would really like to talk to them._ **"**

Fleur watched as her mother raised a skeptical eyebrow at the brunette, **"** _None of your owls have gotten through? I find that hard to believe, Maya._ **"**

Hermione groaned quietly to herself and whispered **"** _We forgot to tell her, Fleur._ **"**

" _Tell me what?_ **"**

" _We ran into Harry and Ron during the World Cup._ **"** Hermione quickly glanced towards her before turning back to the older blonde. **"** _They were worried to death about me because they had not heard from me in two years and I had not responded to any of their owls. They were confused when I told them that I had not received any owls._ **"**

When Hermione hesitated, obviously unsure of how much to reveal (she had made a promise not to tell anybody about the boys' theory, after all), Fleur stepped in, **"** _Her friend Ron thinks that his mother has been blocking them from communicating._ **"**

Fleur heard the brunette quietly tell her thanks as her mother scrunched her eyebrows in confusion, **"** _Why would she do something like that?_ **"**

" _We are not sure,_ **"** Hermione shrugged, **"** _but I want to find out and this Triwizard Tournament is the perfect opportunity._ **"**

Fleur watched her mother fold her arms in front of her chest and knew that the woman was cracking under pressure. **"** _Besides, Maman,_ **"** she grinned reassuringly, **"** _Hogwarts is supposed to be the safest place in the entire world. I doubt anybody would even think about attacking the school like they did during the World Cup._ **"**

Her mother shook her head, **"** _I doubt that too, but it is not my biggest concern. There are probably going to be a lot of British officials there and you know how biased they are. I not only worry about you, but all of the fledglings that will be going. They will be quick to judge all of you and if you make one wrong step, the consequences could be severe._ **"**

" _Which is why it would be best if we went._ **"** Fleur glanced towards Hermione and smiled at the girl's Veela knowledge, **"** _We would be able to ensure that everybody followed the rules and did not get into any trouble. They do follow our lead a lot after all._ **"**

" _It would be a good chance to prove your leadership skills._ **"** Her mother muttered. Fleur and Hermione waited with bated breath as the older blonde tapped her chin in thought. Just as she was about to try another route, she saw her mother's shoulders sag in defeat. **"** _Fine, I approve of you going. ONLY because the other Veela need somebody to keep them in line. Without an Alpha there I am sure they would cause trouble._ **"**

Hermione squealed and crushed the older blonde in a hug, thanking her profusely as Fleur sighed in relief. _See, not that hard_ , Fleur thought smugly to herself. Now all they had to do was be on their best behavior until the 30th of October when they actually left. She doubted that her mother would change her mind after already agreeing, but it did not hurt to take extra precautions.

" _Maya, would you mind leaving Fleur and I alone? There are some things I would like to discuss with her._ **"**

" _Of course not._ **"** Hermione smiled at her as she bounced out of the room, shutting the door behind her.

Fleur turned to her mother after the door clicked shut and watched as she leaned back in her chair with a sigh. **"** _What is it, Maman?_ **"**

" _I have a bad feeling about this situation, my flower. I do not like the idea of you two being so far from home for so long._ **"**

" _Could this feeling be due to what happened at the World Cup?_ **"** Fleur sat in the chair next to her. She did not want the woman to worry about them, especially since they would not see her for the entire year. The only communication they would have was through owl and that would probably not be enough to lessen any fears.

" _I am unsure._ **"** Her mother rubbed her forehead before turning to her. **"** _It does not matter because you truly have to go. I had not thought about the other fledglings going when I first said no. You have to make sure that they are safe and do not get into trouble._ **"**

Fleur nodded, **"** _I understand._ **"**

" _No, you do not._ **"** Fleur watched as her mother shook her head and reached forward to grasp her hands. **"** _British wizards will think that you are nothing more than an intelligent animal at best. Worst case scenario is that they think you are a pretty toy to play with. Most of what you say and do will be disregarded and ignored. It will be frustrating to be around them, but you must keep the Veela in check at all times. If they think that you are losing control for even a second, they will lock you up._ **"**

Fleur swallowed thickly. She had known that British Magicals did not care much for those with 'creature' blood, but hearing about how strict it really was made her uneasy. She felt the Veela ruffle its feathers as it thought about the challenge their mother presented, but she quickly silenced it. Fleur knew that it would want to put up a fight when it felt insulted, but she told it that they could not do that while at Hogwarts. A lot of the time, they would have to grit their teeth and ignore what the humans said. Luckily, the Veela agreed because of her main reason; they were doing this for Hermione. They could not protect her if they were locked up in some British prison. So, for Hermione's sake, they would put up with it.

" _I understand, Maman, I truly do. The Veela has calmed down a lot since being around Hermione and I am sure it will not allow anything to happen to her or our Clan. We will be on our best behavior._ **"**

" _That is another thing. Hermione does not know the true extent about the laws regarding 'creatures' in Britain. That was her home, yes, and those are her friends, but they may turn on her if they learn the truth. You will have to keep a close eye on her and those around her. If you even think for a single moment that somebody may try and hurt her, you get all of our family out of there. To hell with what Olympe says._ **"**

" _You do not have to tell me to protect my mate._ **"** Fleur gave her mother a determined look, **"** _Nobody will bother her, not even those who she thinks are her friends and allies._ **"**

" _Good._ **"**

-oOo-

" _I am so excited, Fleur!_ **"** Hermione flopped back on the foot of the blonde's bed and grinned up at the ceiling. She couldn't believe that she was actually going back to Hogwarts for an entire year. It was going to feel so good walking through the corridors again and showing Fleur all of Hogwarts' secrets. Beauxbatons didn't have any secret passageways or doors that were hidden behind pictures so she couldn't wait to see her mate's reaction to them.

" _I was not able to tell at all._ **"** Fleur chuckled as she walked around the room, getting ready for bed. **"** _In fact, if I did not know any better, I would think you were a little apathetic about the whole thing._ **"**

"Ha, ha. You think you are so funny." Hermione rolled over on her stomach as she watched the blonde. "You're lucky I love you so much or I wouldn't put up with all this teasing you do."

She hummed in the back of her throat as Fleur leaned down to peck her lightly on the lips before moving to sit at the head of the bed. **"** _I am honored that you find me funny enough to keep around._ **"**

Hermione rolled her eyes and shifted to her fur before padding up to the head of the bed and flopping down beside the blonde. She chuffed lightly at her mate as she threw her paw across the girl's stomach and pulled her close.

" _Straight to the Saber Tooth, huh? Not even going to stay up and talk to me?_ **"**

Hermione groaned and rubbed her head against Fleur's, to which the blonde only sighed and rested her hand on the paw across her waist. The brunette wasn't entirely sure if Fleur could understand her while she was in her fur or if she was just using her feelings to determine what she was saying, but it sure seemed like Fleur always knew what she meant.

" _I am wounded that you…_ **"**

Whatever Fleur was going to say was interrupted by a pecking at her window. They both immediately stilled and looked at each other, trying to determine if they had imagined the noise. When another round of pecking started, Fleur immediately leaped out of bed and rushed to the window to let the owl in. It was rare that a message was delivered in the middle of the night and they both knew that it must be important.

Hermione looked on in confusion as an unfamiliar grey owl flew into the window and landed on the bed post. It swiveled its head around to look at Fleur for a moment, then turned its attention to her. It cocked its head to the side briefly before hooting at her and batting its wings.

" _Change back, Hermione._ **"** Fleur said suddenly, **"** _The letter must be for you and it has instructions to deliver it to nobody else._ **"**

Hermione quickly shifted back and watched as the owl hopped towards her before holding its leg out. Its feathers puffed out the closer it got to her (obviously, it was uncomfortable being around her) and immediately flew back out the window once she had taken the letter. Fleur closed and latched the window behind it and shook her head as Hermione stared down at the letter in confusion.

" _That was interesting. I have never met an owl that rude before._ **"** Hermione felt the bed dip down as Fleur sat behind her and drew her back into her arms. **"** _Who is it from?_ **"**

" _I do not know._ **"** Hermione muttered as she turned the envelope back and forth. **"** _There is no name on it._ **"**

Fleur immediately pulled out her wand and cast a detection spell, sighing in relief as the tip glowed green. **"** _Well, it is not cursed with anything harmful so that is good. I guess you should open it and see what was so important to deliver in the middle of the night._ **"**

Hermione took a deep breath and opened the envelope, carefully laying the silver band that fell out to the side before glancing through the letter. She became slightly distracted as Fleur leaned her chin on her shoulder and sighed. **"** _Whoever sent it really wanted this to be for your eyes only. To me it is a blank page._ **"**

" _Can I read it out loud to you? This thing is cryptic in ways that it reminds me of what Harry and Ron discussed, but I do not recognize the handwriting._ **"**

" _Maybe? I do not know if they cast the Tongue-Tying Curse on it or not._ **"**

Hermione cleared her throat before starting, "Dear Lost Lion," she quickly glanced at Fleur to see if she heard that. At the blonde's confirmation, Hermione continued.

"Dear Lost Lion,

I would like to take this time to officially welcome you to the Marauders! Membership into the Marauders is very rare and requires at least three recommendations from current members and a series of tests proving your loyalty and trustworthiness. The fact that you are receiving this letter now shows that, not only do you have these recommendations, but also that the rest of the members have agreed to wave these tests, for the time being at least. This is due to the circumstances we currently find ourselves in and we find it necessary that you begin your initiation immediately.

Unfortunately, I cannot tell you everything at this point in time. Our current owl situation does not bode well for back and forth communication, as you should know, so I must ask that you not try and respond to this letter. Any questions that you have will be answered when you arrive here on the 30th of October. Yes, we are aware of the upcoming Tournament and I will be highly surprised, and slightly disappointed, if you are not part of the Beauxbaton delegation.

What I can tell you, is who we are. Well, we are, simply put, everyone around you. We are everywhere you go. We come from all races, all backgrounds, all blood types, and all loyalties. We are the ones who work behind the scenes, ensuring that everything runs smoothly. We are the ones who you would never suspect, yet the ones you should be wary of. We are the skeptics, the thinkers, the darers, and the innovators of this world. We take nothing for granted and hold everything dear. We work towards the betterment of tomorrow, even if that means going towards the leaders of today.

Our current group is still small, and fairly new to this process, yet we have already accomplished more than we could've ever dreamed. Previous Marauders, who have been proven to be trustworthy, have stepped forward and are helping us discover the secrets of the world. They are helping us open our eyes and remove the rose-tinted glasses that have been placed on us. We want to do the same for you.

Be warned, this letter is meant for your eyes only. You are to not discuss the contents of this letter or the existence of the Marauders to anybody. That even includes current Marauders outside of meetings, unless the location is secure and the information is necessary. This is not a joke, this is not for fun. This is not some whimsy book club where we sit around and talk about our feelings every day. The things we do have life and death consequences. If the wrong people find out about any of this, the results for some of us could be severe. You have been warned.

Surely you understand the need for secrecy and it doesn't need explaining. What I want you to do, however, is think about your own situation. I have no clue how you truly ended up in the Delacours' care, Basilisk has a few ideas but is not sure himself, but I do know that it's odd. Do you really know what happened to your parents? Or are you believing what you were told? Are you sure that you yourself aren't involved in any games?

But, anyways, enough cryptic talk for the time being. It would be much easier to discuss this with you in person. That is why we are having a meeting on the 1st of November. Somebody will inform you of where we are meeting when you arrive. Be there.

Now, enclosed with the letter, you should have found a silver band. Wear it on the middle finger of your right hand as this is how we identify our members. The ring is unique to each person and will automatically change itself to fit your magical signature. No one else but you can wear your ring. No one will be able to copy it.

That is all for now, Lost Lion. We will talk more on the 1st of November. Place the ring on your finger and officially become a Marauder.

Remember, nothing is ever as it seems.

Silver-Tongue

P.S. We know that you will share this with your pretty bird and have no issue with that. After hearing the details of your reunion, I was able to guess the nature of your relationship and informed Basilisk and Rook. They were shocked, to say the least, but understood your loyalty to her and why you insisted that she attend your meeting. If I may be so bold to say, I am interested in seeing the year you two will have at Hogwarts."

Fleur was silent for a moment before snorting, **"** _I cannot believe that this 'Silver-Tongue' called me a pretty bird._ **"**

Hermione turned to her and grinned, **"** _Not only are you a pretty bird, but you are MY pretty bird._ **"**

" _As you are MY kitten._ **"**

" _Ugh, I told you to never call me that._ **"** Hermione rolled her eyes as she picked up the plain silver ring and turned it over in her hand.

Fleur chuckled and kissed her on the cheek, **"** _I am sorry, my love, I cannot help myself. You are too easy to tease._ **"**

Hermione hummed in the back of her throat in confirmation, her eyes never leaving the glittering silver between her fingers.

" _Do you believe what this 'Silver-Tongue' is saying?_ **"**

" _I…I do not know._ **"** Hermione turned slightly to look at Fleur, **"** _Part of me wants to pass this off as some elaborate joke, but Harry and Ron truly believed what they were telling me. They really think that there is something sinister going on at Hogwarts and wanted to tell me about it. I cannot help but think that there is some truth to all of this._ **"**

" _I think the same. There is too much work going into all of this to be a joke._ **"** Fleur hesitated for a moment. **"** _Do you think they were telling the truth about the Granger's?_ **"**

Hermione scowled, **"** _No, they do not know what happened. Trust me, those people left of their own freewill. If they did not, then somebody had to be working on them for years to fool me._ _ **"**_ The brunette closed her eyes and leaned back into Fleur as she tried to calm the sudden anger she felt. _I can't believe those people still get to me_ , she raged to herself.

Fleur tightening her hold on her caused her to take a deep breath and open her eyes to stare at the ceiling. _**"**_ _Now, me being placed in their care? That might put me as a piece in somebody's 'game' and is something we should consider. Whose game though? I have no clue and it might honestly be nothing._ **"**

" _I do not think you should talk with Harry and Ron about this._ **"**

Hermione turned to give the blonde a questioning look. **"** _Why not?_ **"**

" _I am worried that they might harm you, Hermione. British wizards are a lot more closed minded than the rest of the world. Not many like those with creature blood._ **"**

" _Obviously, they do not care though._ **"** Hermione pointed at the post script, **"** _Silver-Tongue said that they guessed as to what our relationship truly is and were okay with it. I can only guess that they figured out you were Veela either from your name or Harry and Ron's reaction to the Thrall._ **"**

Fleur frowning at her caused Hermione to turn around and straddle the blonde, leaning their foreheads together, **"** _Please, trust me. I know them. They will not care about my fur._ **"**

" _I trust you, obviously, but I cannot help but worry. It has been two years since you have really talked to them. A lot can change in that time._ **"**

Hermione simply smirked and brought the blonde in for a short, tender kiss. She loved Fleur, truly, but there were times when she worried too much. Luckily, she learned a long time ago how to get her mate to calm down, she just had to make sure the Veela didn't make an appearance (which Hermione could sense was rising to the surface) and put her under the Haze. Just as she felt the Thrall begin to form, Hermione leaned back and tapped Fleur swiftly on the nose, shocking the girl enough so she could take control back.

Fleur rolled her eyes at her before nodding down towards her hand. **"** _Are you going to put it on?_ **"**

" _I do not know._ _ **"**_ Hermione shook her head at the sudden change in topic before opening her fist and looking at the silver ring. She rotated her hand so that the light caught the sheen of magic surrounding it. _**"**_ _I cannot help but think that this is another type of blocker. I-I can feel the magic radiating from it and I am afraid._ **"**

" _Does it feel like bad magic?_ **"**

Hermione focused on the band for a moment before shaking her head slightly, **"** _Not really. It feels like…an empty vessel, waiting to be filled by something. Like it is not complete yet. I am afraid it will bind to me and something sinister will happen._ **"**

" _Then I think you should put it on._ **"** Hermione glanced up sharply at Fleur (the girl who, just a few moments ago, was worried about Harry and Ron of all people). **"** _That letter was from an ally of Harry and Ron's. They are obviously the Basilisk and Rook, which is which I have no clue, and this ring is the first part of the trials you will have to face when we get to Hogwarts. By putting the ring on, you are showing that you trust what they are saying and are willing to take a leap of faith._ **"**

Hermione turned her attention back to the band. It called out to her, as if it needed her, and she desperately wanted to respond. She pushed a bit of magic through her fingertips, into the band, and gasped as it flashed briefly and started to vibrate. Taking a deep breath (and glancing up at her relaxed mate), Hermione slowly put the ring on her finger.

The pulse of her magic, once the band rested fully on her middle finger, felt similar to the first time her and Fleur connected; definitely not as strong, but similar. Hermione heard Fleur gasp in wonder as they both watched the band flash with light and magic, slowly manipulating itself around her finger, before finally coming to a rest with a final pulse of light.

"Um…what?"

" _Fascinating…is it a jaw?_ **"**

Hermione turned her hand around and, sure enough, there were a matching set of lower teeth along the bottom of the ring. She shook her head and sighed as she inspected the familiar (although, now silver) fangs that nearly wrapped around her finger.

"I'm always going to be connected to the saber tooth, aren't I? There is no way I am ever going to hide the fact that I am associated to the beast. Everything I do will somehow involve the cat, whether it is my fur, my Patronus, or this stupid magical ring. It will always come back to the saber tooth in some way and people are going to start noticing."

Fleur lifted her hand to see the perfect replica of the gaping saber tooth jaw that now engulfed her finger. The magic had gotten everything correct, even the angle of the mandible when her mouth was wide open in a roar. Hermione was just thankful that it had only made the jawbones and not the entire skull as she had first feared.

"It is quite fearsome, yes? A little more gaudy zan I zought would fit your magical signature as zee letter suggested, but I like it."

"I'm not surprised that you like it." Hermione raised an eyebrow as Fleur brushed a finger down one of the fangs and it shined a brilliant gold for a moment before returning to silver. "Interesting."

" _I think it is perfect. Your fur is a large part of your life and the most fearsome part of it are the fangs. This just shows that your magic is just as strong and fearsome as the saber tooth's deadliest tools._ **"**

" _If you say so. People who know me are going to question it, for sure._ **"**

Fleur shook her head and rubbed along the top part of the ring. **"** _I doubt that…This is very impressive magic, though. Do you feel any different?_ **"**

" _No. It does not feel like anything has changed actually which is confusing. The way the ring called to me before, I would have thought that there would be some difference._ **"** Hermione pushed her magic once more through the band, curious to see if her magic would still respond to it. She gasped when she felt the ring vibrate suddenly and almost a dozen pulses came rushing back to her.

" _What is it? What happened?_ **"**

" _I can feel them, Fleur._ **"** Hermione said in daze as she sifted through the magical responses she had received, **"** _I can feel every single person who has a band similar to this on. I know where they are, that they are healthy, and that they are safe. This is amazing!_ **"**

" _Really?_ **"** Fleur inspected the ring once more, **"** _Could that be the calling you felt before?_ **"**

" _It must be. Wow, Fleur. I never even knew magic like this could exist!_ **"**

" _I am going to guess that we are going to have an in-depth conversation with Harry and Ron as soon as we get to Hogwarts._ **"**

Hermione nodded with determination, **"** _Absolutely! The fact that those two managed to come across this club is amazing in itself. I want, no, I need to know the entire story, start to finish. They have to be right with their theory and I intend on helping my brothers out of this mess._ **"**

Fleur smiled at her and cupped her cheeks as she leaned their foreheads together once more, **"** _And I promise that I will be with you every step of the way. However, we must get there first._ **"**

Hermione smiled and kissed Fleur sweetly, **"** _And we will. In less than two months we will be at Hogwarts._ **"**

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

 **AN:** Alright, good news and bad news. Bad news first I guess (and it isn't _really_ bad news, so don't worry too much). We still aren't going to Hogwarts just yet (not this chapter and not next, but the one after that I swear) so for those of you who were looking forward to that scene...sorry. Gonna have to wait a bit longer I'm afraid. Another point of bad news is that I'm going to be out of town all of next week, so I'm not going to be able to post a chapter next Monday. If I get it done, I may post it before, but we will just have to wait and see for that. This week is midterms so my life is hectic.

Now, for the good news (maybe good news)! If you have seen the summary, you will notice that I changed it a bit and the rating of the fic. I feel like I needed to do that for this chapter. Be warned, this is my first time writing a scene like this so it might not be as good as you are wanting. If I receive too much negativity towards it, I'll take it down and keep everything rated T (if that happens, don't get discouraged if I don't post a new chapter for a week or so. I'm not giving up on this fic). I don't want to offend anybody and I've seen stuff like this make or break a good story. So here I go and give it a try.

Um...I think that's it...? I just want to remind you that this IS a work of fiction and I am truly making everything up as I go along. I know nothing about anything so if you find that I did something wrong, PM me and we will talk it out.

 **Disclaimer:** Nope...nothing. I own nothing.

-xXx-

Hermione awoke suddenly, her body tense and alert. Her internal clock said that it was sometime in the middle of the night and that she should still be asleep. She laid perfectly still, staring at the wall, trying to sense if there was something foreign in her room that had disturbed her. After a few moments, she breathed a sigh of relief as her instincts told her that nothing was there.

She brushed her damp bangs from her face (the fact that she hadn't shifted to the saber tooth was something that briefly crossed her mind) as she tried to gather her jumbled thoughts. Her mind was racing, jumping from one random thought to another, before settling on a single fact; it's too hot.

Pulling her wand from where she kept it under her pillow, Hermione quickly cast a cooling charm on the room to no extent. The temperature didn't change in the slightest (Hermione briefly thought that the air conditioning was out before she laughed at herself. _Magical house, silly_ , she sighed, _remember?)_. She rubbed her eyes and cast the Tempus charm, only to groan in despair as it read a little after midnight.

The word 'Birthday' flashed through her mind making her groan again. That was right, she was technically fifteen now. _Happy bloody Birthday to me_ , she thought sarcastically and attempted to get out of bed. As soon as she moved her legs, a flash of lightening raced up her spine and left her breathless. A small whimper emerged as she sat up and was able to feel the full extent of the wetness between her legs.

 _Shower,_ Hermione thought, leaning her hand against the wall to steady herself as she stood up, _I need a cold shower._

She quickly stripped out of her damp night shirt and ruined panties as she staggered into the bathroom, each step being more painful (pleasurable) than the last. Hermione cursed as the ice cold water hit her over-heated body. _What is happening to me?_ she cried out as she turned around to let the water hit her back and leaned into the wall. Hermione moaned in relief at the feeling of the cold tile against her chest.

This wasn't the first time the brunette had been aroused ( _but it definitely wasn't anything like this,_ Hermione thought with despair). Every time Fleur was around her and released too much Thrall, her panties were (usually) soaked through by the time she was able to snap out of the Haze.

 _Fleur_ , Hermione groaned suddenly, the thought of the perfect blonde sending heat rushing up and down her spine. She could imagine that her mate was there, with her in the shower, brushing her lips down her body. Hermione moaned as she felt the phantom strands of that silky blonde hair in her hands as Fleur went lower and lower until…

"Fuck." Hermione felt her body shudder in pleasure and hit her head against the wall, attempting to remove the image from her mind. She panted as fire blazed through her when she unconsciously rubbed her thighs together, trying desperately to relieve some of the pain.

"Stupid, stupid." She muttered to herself, all while staring at the wall to try and focus, "This is fucking stupid, Hermione. Just calm down. Breathe. Relax. Think of something else. Anything."

Images flashed through her mind. Running in her fur. _Fleur flying overhead._ Dueling with Professor Chez. _Fleur weaving gracefully between flying spells_. Professor Belaire dancing in his underwear. _Fleur doing a strip tease just for her._ Snape and Sprout making out. _Fleur pinning her to the bed._

"Shit." Hermione hit her head against the wall again. Her traitorous mind kept shifting her thoughts until everything revolved around Fleur. Her nether regions burned as she thought of the fact that her beautiful mate was sleeping just down the hall.

Everything in her stilled as the thought repeated itself. _Fleur is just in the next room_ , Hermione lifted her head and looked towards the bathroom door. _All I have to do is walk down the hallway._ She bit her lip as she debated with herself for a few moments before climbing out of the forgotten shower and nearly sprinting out of her room and down the hall.

Every step she took sent heat searing through her body, but, by this point, Hermione didn't care. Her entire focus was on Fleur and how much she needed to see her; to have the blonde near. She knew, somehow, that just being close to her mate would make everything better.

Before she knew it, Hermione stood outside of Fleur's room, her hand poised over the handle of the door. She sent a quick thanks to the gods that this was happening while they were at home (she didn't think this trip would've been so easy for her if she'd had to navigate Beauxbatons castle) before she opened the door as quietly as she could and slipped inside.

Hermione felt her breathe leave her as she glanced towards the sleeping beauty. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen something as stunning as Fleur in that moment. Her mate was lying on her back, face turned away from the window. White moonlight streamed through and caused her bright blonde hair to glow with an ethereal light. Her pale skin was more pronounced in the darkness of the room and Hermione licked her suddenly dry lips as she thought of how soft it would feel against her own.

The brunette quietly walked around the bed so she could gaze at her mate's face. Pale pink lips were slightly parted and Hermione looked on as her chest rose and fell with each breath. She couldn't help but reach out and brush her tanned hand along a pale cheek, whimpering at the feel of the silky skin under her fingertips.

She watched as those thick eyelashes fluttered open to reveal glazed, blue eyes. Hermione bit her lip as Fleur blinked away the sleep and gazed up at her in confusion (the widening eyes and quick glance up and down didn't register with her).

" _Hermione! Wha…?!_ **"**

Hermione couldn't resist any longer and leaned down to capture those lips with hers. A shudder rushed down her spine as fireworks exploded behind her eyelids. She felt the quick intake of air against her cheek as she moved to straddle the blonde, breaking the kiss momentarily to reposition her hands to support her weight before pressing their lips together once more.

A moan vibrated up her throat at the taste of her mate. She began to lap at the tongue she found, humming with delight as it finally began to dance with hers. Hermione arched her back down as she felt hands rest on her hips. Another moan emerged at the feeling of Fleur's curves against hers and she couldn't help but rotate her hips, producing wonderful friction that had her repeating the action over and over.

The world swam slightly as Fleur quickly flipped them over, her back arching again so they didn't lose contact. A whimper escaped as the kiss was broken and Hermione felt Fleur lean back.

"No, no, no, no." Hermione repeated as she reached out to Fleur, "Please, Fleur. Don't stop."

Fleur pinned her hands to the bed, " 'ermione, stop. What is wrong? Zis is not like you."

Hermione shook her head desperately, "I don't know. I woke up and everything was so hot," A short moan escaped as she bucked her hips into the blonde above her. "I couldn't stand it. I got up and I just had to see you. I need you! Please!" The brunette couldn't help but whine pitifully.

She watched in desperation as Fleur's eyes moved rapidly across her face. Her thoughts slowly descended into chaos the longer the blonde stared at her. She didn't understand why Fleur couldn't sense what she wanted ( _yes, that has to be it_ , Hermione thought) because if she had been able to, _nothing_ would be stopping the Veela at this point. Another whine escaped as Hermione thrust her hips again, the burning within her intensifying to the point of insanity.

Finally, Fleur's nostrils flared out and her blue eyes darkened almost completely to black. Hermione barely held back a sob of relief as her mate released one of her wrists to caress her cheek. The brunette immediately latched on to her hand, pushing it tighter into her face, as she turned her head to nuzzle into the palm, needing the soothing touch.

"It will be alright, Maya." Hermione whimpered as she felt kisses pepper her face. "I am 'ere. I will take care of you, I promise." Fleur gently pressed their lips together and Hermione breathed out a happy sigh.

Fleur eventually released the grip on her other wrist as the kiss deepened and Hermione wasted no time in sliding her hands under the blonde's shirt. She slid them around and up to grip her mate's smooth back, all the while pulling down so they were once more flush together. Hermione threw her head back and moaned loudly as their bare stomachs brushed against each other.

She felt Fleur grind their hips together and panted at the produced friction as silky lips moved down the column of her neck. Hermione reached up to grab ahold of the silky blonde hair that teased her skin as Fleur slowly licked the hollow of her throat. Adrenaline surged through her and Hermione felt her eyes widen when a hand came up to cup one of her breasts, the thumb teasing over her stiff nipple, all while teeth nipped sharply at the skin of her neck.

-oOo-

Fleur shook her head to get rid of the daze as she pulled herself into a sitting position. She brought a hand up to rub her aching head (it had bounced off of her hard-wood floors when she had been thrown from the bed) before a low growl caused her to freeze in place. Opening her eyes slowly, Fleur was shocked to find the saber tooth crouched on top of the bed, fur raised and teeth bared.

She slowly stood up, hands out in a 'calm down' gesture as those dilated eyes followed her every move. _What is going on?_ she quickly thought to the Veela. It did not reply as all of its attention was on their mate.

It had been a (pleasurable) shock to wake up to a _very_ naked Hermione leaning over her. The Veela had not wasted any time in ordering her on what to do as the brunette brought them in for a demanding kiss. It was only when she was pinned to the bed that she and it argued over what was the best course of action to take. Of course, after she had gotten the upper hand and really looked at Hermione (the damp, but wilder than normal curls, the puffed lips that drew her attention as they kept parting to allow a delicate tongue to wet them, and the widened, dilated eyes that bore into hers with so much need it took her breath away), that she really listened to the Veela.

Heat.

Hermione was in heat.

The overwhelming scent of her mate's arousal wafted around the blonde and called out to the Veela within. It demanded to be taken care of and Fleur was more than willing to be the person to do it. Everything had been going amazing. The Veela had been crooning with joy at the fact that they would finally fully bond with their mate, all the while stirring the heat in the pit of her stomach to urge her on. She was just about to go further than they had ever gone before when she had suddenly found herself on the floor, face-to-face with a snarling big cat.

" _Ok, Hermione. Alright._ **"** Fleur moved slowly towards the bed, backing off a little as the growling increased in pitch, **"** _It is me, Fleur, remember._ **"** She felt the Veela roll its eyes at her as she continued to talk. **"** _Please change back. We were having such a lovely time, yes?_ **"** She pushed a bit of Thrall out as she walked closer, hoping it would help convince the brunette to change back.

Fleur watched with apprehension as the growling slowly died and the ears twitched towards her. She smiled and took another step forward, **"** _That is good, Maya. That is…_ **"** before she could finish her sentence, the saber tooth whirled around and bounded through the window, the shattering glass causing Fleur to flinch.

She did not have time to worry about Hermione's well-being before the Veela roared at her, **Go you idiot!** Sensing the Veela surge beside her own consciousness, Fleur felt her blood freeze as it took control and forced her to sprint towards the broken window and leap out of it. Quicker than she ever thought was possible; wings emerged from between her shoulder blades and ripped through her shirt, catching her right before she hit the ground, and sending her soaring over the trees of the forest.

 _What are we doing?_ Fleur called out to the Veela as it angled them so they were barely skimming the leaves.

 **Chasing our mate** , it answered. Fleur felt Thrall release and spread out below them. **If you had been paying attention, this is a test of dominance. We are proving ourselves worthy of being her mate and I, for one, do NOT want to fail.**

Fleur was silent for a moment before asking, _How do you know all of this?_ Never before had the Veela been this sure of anything or this clear in its need to do something. She had never had it explain its actions to her before which (even though she agreed with it wholeheartedly) still caught her by surprise.

She felt it send a toothy grin her way as the Thrall latched onto a familiar magical signature. **Instinct.** With a cry, the Veela angled them downwards into a steep dive.

Fleur barely had time to prepare herself as the Veela collided with the running saber tooth, its momentum strong enough to knock Hermione off of her feet. The blonde lost focus (and the last bit of control she had over her body) in the mess of fur and feathers and claws that resulted in the collision. She suddenly felt her consciousness be pulled up by the Veela (another thing that shocked her) and found herself on the saber tooth's back, both arms wrapped tightly around her neck.

" **Change back!"** She heard the Veela scream. To her surprise, the previously snarling feline laid still, panting, while her ears twitched back towards her. A whine escaped Hermione as the Veela used their wings to push them further into the cat, forcing the cat's head to the ground. **"Change back now, Hermione!"**

Fleur blinked and found her arms wrapped tightly around her naked mate, the girl whimpering and pushing back against her as soon as she shifted. The Veela beat their wings once, causing the brunette to freeze as the fallen leaves swirled around them in the down draft, before leaning down so their mouth was level with Hermione's ear.

" **Never again."** It whispered, waiting until Hermione nodded before continuing. **"I am Alpha, not you. You will not run from me again. Do you understand?"**

Hermione nodded once more and the Veela flipped her over so that they could look at their mate. At first, Fleur was worried that the girl would be terrified of them, but as she took in the flushed face and dilated eyes, she knew that the brunette had enjoyed their chase (the whining and returned thrusting secured this fact). She barely had time to question any of it before the Veela rushed in to dominate the girl's mouth.

As soon as the kiss started, Hermione began to move her hands to wrap around them. Both Fleur and the Veela immediately grabbed ahold of both wrists and pinned them above her head. "Non!"

"Please, Fleur!" Hermione sobbed below them, her arms straining against their hold, "Please, please. I'm sorry!"

The Veela adjusted them so that one hand was restraining the girl while the other trailed down her body, slightly sharpened nails scraping along her skin. "Non, 'ermione. You ran from me and I do not like zat." Fleur pushed one of their thighs into Hermione's core causing her to gasp and rub against them. They hissed at the feeling of wetness soaking through their pants leg and reached up to brush a thumb over their mate's bottom lip.

A moan escaped as that daring tongue came out to lap at the pad of their finger, teeth lightly nipping the skin sent a shudder down their spine. The Veela briefly forgot what it was going to say as they unconsciously thrust into their mate in response. Fleur cursed their choice in night clothing ( _We should have gone with a simple night shirt!_ The Veela fervently agreed) as the pants stopped them from fully feeling Hermione.

Fleur felt the Veela push their magic through their fingertips and cast a quick 'Diffindo' on their clothes. _You could have done that the entire time?!_ Fleur raged at the Veela as their night shirt and pants fell from their body. Its only response was to thrust once more into their mate, the new feeling of skin-on-skin causing her to forget everything she was saying or thinking.

A sharp gasp from Hermione and her trying to tug her hands free had both Fleur and the Veela turning their attentions back to the girl. "Now, what did I say, Maya?" The Veela cooed at her, nipping the parted lips briefly while staring into dilated amber eyes. "You ran from me and I caught you, so now I am in control. Zat means zat I can taste you, touch you," a quick thrust of their hips produced another moan and had Hermione's back arching towards them, "fuck you, 'owever I want. And you are going to be a good girl, yes?"

Hermione nodded rapidly. "Yes, Fleur," she panted, "I promise."

The Veela smiled predatorily, **"** _Good._ **"** With that, it crushed their lips together and Fleur soon lost herself within their mate.

-xXx

 **Thanks for reading!**


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

 **AN:** Was honestly going to wait till tomorrow to post this, but figured that I had caused you all to wait long enough. A few of you didn't read my last AN and asked where I was, but that's okay. I'm back now and that's all that matters.

Wow. So, the responses from last chapter has been nothing but positive which is super relieving for me. You guys have no idea how worried I was with writing that chapter and to see that you all enjoyed it makes me so happy. Thank you, everybody, who reviewed or PM'd me with encouraging and supporting words. I love it.

Now, I think the main complaint from last chapter was I didn't go into more detail and...look...I'm not one for a lot of detail in sex scenes. Sorry, that's just me. I think it takes away from the story (especially if the main story isn't smut) which is why you will probably never catch me describing sex scenes in that manner. I know I've had a few discussions with some of you and we all agreed that there are great stories out there that were ruined with over-the-top smut. I'm not willing to take that risk with this. So, if you're looking for a real smutty fanfic, sorry, its not happening here.

Anyways, its not like I was too vague on the matter. We all know what they did, there is no doubt about that. I think I gave you enough details for you to draw your own conclusions on how it _exactly_ happened, which (in my opinion at least) is more fun to imagine than if I gave you too many details. The main purpose of these two chapters were just to give you a bit more insight into the nature of their relationship (which is why I'm doing this before they go to Hogwarts). I wanted to establish this so a few things makes more sense in the upcoming chapters (roxyroxas1313 mentioned that the chapter seemed out of place since previous chapters were so plot heavy, so...does this clear things up? I'm trying to keep everything with the actual HP Universe timeline and my next plot point isn't until we get to Hogwarts, yet Hermione's bday is before that. So...I sorta had to do this now.)

Somebody else (I honestly don't remember who because it was a PM and I think I deleted it before I had a chance to respond so...oops...sorry) asked whether the Veela or Fleur was in charge at the end. My only response to that is...well...yes. They both were. I tried to imply that with the Veela being a stronger presence than before and they both traded off talking and controlling themselves, but maybe I wasn't clear on that. Either way, for that brief period, both Fleur and the Veela were in charge of themselves, each equally controlling parts of their body (and I mean...wouldn't you want to share with your inner being such an important thing?).

That's all for me for now. Hope you enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** Nothing has changed in two weeks. Still don't own Harry Potter, unfortunately.

-xXx-

A sharp tug on her hair brought Fleur (unwillingly) into the waking world. She swatted at the annoying object and turned to bury her face into the soft curls on her right. A low moan and a face pushing against her neck caused Fleur to smile lazily, Hermione's soothing scent encircling her. She shushed her mate softly, not wanting to wake the girl, and felt herself begin to drift off once more.

Another sharp tug accompanied by a loud 'WHOOO' right next to her ear nearly made Fleur jump out of her skin. Luckily, the Veela prevented her from waking Hermione up and merely tightened their hold on their mate while snapping their free hand out to grab ahold of the annoying thing. She heard a rustling of feathers and an angry clicking as her fingers barely grazed the bird.

Turning her head, she groaned at the sight of narrowed yellow eyes staring back at her. **"** _Emmanuel…go away. It is too early._ **"**

The large eagle owl did not seem to listen to her as he hopped forward warily before tugging on her hair again. She swatted at him, watching with some delight as he jumped back while puffing his feathers out in agitation and glaring at her.

" _Stop._ **"** She whispered harshly, **"** _I am awake. There is no need to keep doing that. Show me what Grandmother wants so you can go away and I can go back to sleep._ **"**

Emmanuel cocked his head to the side briefly before moving to pick something up. She grunted as he dropped a rather large package on her stomach and hopped back beside her head.

Scowling at the rude owl, she found the letter attached and immediately dropped it to rub her eyes in agitation as she read the brief message.

' _We need to talk'_

" _Shit._ **"** Fleur glared at the owl as he began hopping closer once more. **"** _You pull my hair again and I will pluck you._ **"** Emmanuel hooted and flapped his wings at her.

Fleur waved him away as she turned her back to him and wrapped her arm around Hermione's waist, pulling the girl tighter against her. **"** _I will talk to Grandmother later. I am too comfortable to get yelled at right now._ **"** Fleur pushed her consciousness along the newly formed bond and felt the still and calming thoughts of the sleeping girl in her arms. Her own mind began to follow suit, quieting down until she was almost asleep.

Another tug on her hair had her springing up into a sitting position.

" _That is it!_ **"** She cried out, wildly grabbing at the owl. He screeched at her and flew up onto a branch high above her head, hooting with triumph as he looked down on her.

" _Get back here, you stupid bird! I will pluck every feather from your body until you look like a naked Puffskein!_ **"**

A foreign sensation of confusion entered her thoughts before it slowly turned to amusement at her wild ramblings. The arm around her waist tightened briefly as she felt Hermione stretch before curling around her.

"Why are you shouting?" Hermione asked sleepily, yawning at the end of the question and stretching again.

"Emmanuel is being 'is normal lovely self." Fleur continued to glare up at the bird as she lay back down. Hermione immediately snuggled into her, pressing her face into the side of her neck with a sigh of contentment. A purr emerged from the back of her throat as she felt Hermione begin to kiss the tendon in her neck.

Fleur brought her head down to capture Hermione's lips in a passionate kiss as a leg wrapped around her waist. The brunette whimpered as she ground herself into Fleur's hip, the overpowering lust reigniting and echoing down their bond, leaving the blonde breathless.

The slight rustling of feathers was her only warning before her hair was tugged hard enough that she felt a strand break off. Fleur broke the kiss and lunged for the bird, barely missing him as he flew upwards once more. She felt the Veela take control briefly, growling and baring their teeth at him, before a hand pulling them back caught their attention.

With a sigh, Fleur turned back to her flushed and panting mate. She cupped her face and pressed their lips together gently, trying to push her sorrow and disappointment along their bond so Hermione knew it was not her fault.

"I 'ave to go talk to Grandmére, mon amour. 'e will not leave us alone until I do." Hermione whimpering in the back of her throat caused Fleur's heart to break.

"I know," She whispered against the brunette's lips, "but we 'ave to go. She gave 'im orders to bozer us until we follow. I am sorry."

"I know," Hermione whispered, tears forming in the corner of her eyes, "it's just…"

Fleur immediately wrapped her arms around her mate, trying to sooth the emotional girl as she cursed her grandmother. She understood that the older woman had no idea what was going on (the Veela joked that the Alpha probably thought she had lost control and had just taken Hermione), but it was hard to deny her mate. It was hard to convince herself that she needed to get them both dressed and headed towards Régine's house where she would be yelled at and reprimanded, all the while knowing that her mate needed her.

A hooting above their heads reminded her that they needed to get moving. The blonde pressed her lips to Hermione's once more before standing them up. She kneeled to open the package and pulled out an outfit for each of them. _At least Grandmother thought to send clothes,_ Fleur thought as she began to divide the articles of clothing.

Once she was finished, Fleur turned to hand Hermione an outfit only to find the saber tooth sitting there, watching her intently. The blonde raised an eyebrow at the cat and began to get dressed herself. **"** _You do not want to get dressed first?_ **"**

A burning feeling was sent along their bond which caused Fleur to pause. The sweltering heat that rushed down her spine to the pit of her stomach was almost too much for her (she had the wild thought of pulling her own clothes back off) before Hermione let up and she was able to breathe again. She looked towards Hermione (who only groaned in sorrow) and asked, **"** _Your fur does not make that worse?_ **"** The saber tooth shook her massive head before standing up to brush against her.

Fleur wrapped her arms around the cat's neck and buried her face into the soft fur, inhaling the scent as Hermione bumped her head against hers and chuffed lightly. She pulled back after a short time and looked into bright, amber eyes, **"** _Let us go talk to Grandmother. Perhaps she will have something to help, yes?_ **"**

Amusement was sent along their bond as they started walking towards Régine's house, Emmanuel flying overhead to make sure they actually made it. _Yes,_ Fleur thought as she pet the cat walking beside her, _I do not know how I am going to explain this to her either._

-oOo-

Fleur sat before her grandmother, head raised in defiance as the older blonde looked at her with disappointment. She and Régine were alone in the woman's office (Hermione had been lead away by a house elf as soon as they had arrived) and Fleur knew that her grandmother was waiting for her to break. Waiting for her to plead and beg for forgiveness (the Veela rolled its eyes at the thought) for breaking one of the most important Veela rules: Do not mate with a non-Veela until they reach the age of eighteen.

The Veela pointed out how stupid the rule was as the silence in the room thickened. There would have been no way that they could have followed it. Their mate needed and they answered, to Hell with the rules and consequences. _Fuck the Man,_ Fleur thought randomly, producing a rare screech of amusement from the Veela within. She was going to have to take Hermione back to the Muggle town to watch another movie after all of this was said and done. They had the best sayings.

A sigh had her turning her attention to Régine, who had leaned forward to rest her cupped hands on the desk. **"** _Do you have any idea how disappointed I am in you, Fleur?_ **"**

Fleur only raised her eyebrow and folded her arms in response. She was confused on why they were not just telling their grandmother what had happened (surely the woman would have understood), but the Veela requested that they be defiant. There was no answer when she asked why, just a wish to play along. Fleur could not help but agree; after what all the Veela helped her do last night, she owed it this one amusement.

" _I thought that I had trained you better than this. You were doing so well, ignoring the impulses and staying true to yourself._ **"**

Fleur rested her head on her hand as she leaned on the armrest in boredom. Her grandmother rambled on about how disappointed she was and how Fleur had 'failed' not only her, but the Clan in general. The Veela laughed as Régine threatened to find a new heir for the Clan ( **As if anybody could be stronger than us** , it thought). Fleur snorted with barely concealed laughter as the Veela showed her what it thought the Clan would be like under Amélie's leadership.

Her grandmother immediately glared at her, **"** _This is not funny, Fleur. You have severely violated a Veela code of honor! It was actions like this that led the Magicals to think that we are nothing more than sexual predators._ **"**

" _Are you done?_ **"** Fleur winced internally at the Veela's rudeness. _A bit too harsh, yes?_ she asked it.

Régine stood up and slammed her hands on the desk. Fleur saw the rage build up on the older woman's face as the air seemed to swirl around her. Just as she opened her mouth (surely to unleash the Veela rage), Fleur calmly stated, **"** _Hermione went into heat last night._ **"**

It was rather entertaining seeing the anger suddenly change to confusion. The Veela screeched once more as Régine blinked owlishly at them. **"** _What?_ **"**

" _Hermione woke up in the middle of the night, came into my room, and proceeded to assault me._ **"** Fleur grinned at the memory, **"** _The Veela and I decided to top her, which was an obvious choice, and, apparently, Kanaima instincts demand that the Dominate prove themselves by chasing down and capturing the Submissive, which is how we ended up in the middle of the woods. And my window broken, if Mother has found it and told you already. If not, then Hermione jumped through my window and I need it fixed._ **"**

As she was speaking, Régine slowly sat down in her chair, eyes never leaving her. Fleur cocked her head to the side, waiting for the older Veela to process what she had said. Finally, after a few more blinks, she simply said, **"** _She went into heat?_ **"**

" _Yes, and is still in heat actually._ **"** Here, Fleur glared at the woman. **"** _Do you have any idea how hard it was this morning to get up and come here, knowing that, not only would I be yelled at for something that I could not control, but that my mate needed me and I could not help her? It took all of my will-power to not push her against a tree on the way here. I am just lucky that she had enough sense to change into her fur so temptation was not there._ **"**

Régine was quiet for a moment before asking, **"** _Why did you not tell me this when you first came in? This changes everything._ **"**

" _The Veela asked me not to._ **"** Fleur shrugged at the glare she received, **"** _I did not understand why, but I was not going to deny it. It saved my ass last night and without it, I doubt I would have Hermione in the first place. So, when it requested this small thing, I was obliged to follow._ **"**

Régine sighed and rubbed her face in agitation, **"** _Your Veela just likes to cause drama it seems._ **"**

" _Yes, probably, but like I said, I owe it from last night._ **"**

" _Speaking of, how is she?_ **"** Her grandmother nodded her head towards the door.

Fleur felt along the Bond and immediately sensed Hermione reach out to her. She felt her mate's need and sorrow with being alone. Fleur poured love and reassurance through the Bond, trying to tell her that she would be there soon, before turning back to Régine. **"** _At first, she was confused about the entire situation. I mean, it woke her up in the middle of the night and we never even thought this was a possibility. But now, I think she is slowly accepting it. Hopefully she will not get as frantic as she did last night ever again._ **"**

" _What do you mean, frantic?_ **"**

" _It was like…_ **"** Fleur brushed a hand through her hair as she tried to think of the best way to describe it, **"** _I honestly do not know. She could not focus on something for long and her emotions were all over the place. It was very strange._ **"**

" _I am sure you took care of it though._ **"** Régine smirked at her knowingly.

Fleur raised an eyebrow in response, **"** _Of course I did._ **"**

" _And the Bond?_ **"** Régine asked after a few moments.

" _It was rather strange how much of each other we could feel. But, at the same time, it helps calm both of us down since we know the other is alright. It will take some getting used to, for sure, but that will not be a problem._ **"**

" _Good. There are some mates who have a hard time accepting the Bond at first._ **"** Régine smiled at her. **"** _I really am happy for you, Fleur. I wish you would have told me what had happened as soon as you came in, but all is well now._ **"**

Fleur shrugged, **"** _Sorry. Is that all? May I go to her now?_ **"**

" _In a moment. I have a present for you._ **"** Fleur watched with curiosity as her grandmother opened a drawer and pulled out a long, slim box.

" _I had this made and was going to give it to you on her eighteenth birthday, but I think now is a good enough time._ **"** Fleur only half paid attention to what was being said as she took the offered object and looked at the contents inside. Her head immediately shot up to look at the older blonde in shock.

" _Being Alpha is harder than being a regular Veela. We have different instincts that we must follow and I am sure that you had a few of them last night. The only thing I ask is you do nothing too dramatic in front of your family or friends. Your mate, even though she would follow your command, would be embarrassed beyond belief and you do not want that. Trust me._ **"**

" _I do not think she would want to wear this._ **"**

Régine raised an eyebrow at her, **"** _I am sure it would be better than being covered in bite marks and scratches all of the time._ **"** Fleur had the decency to blush. **"** _Trust me, from what I have observed, she will not have a problem with this, just as Aela did not when I asked her._ **"**

" _Thank you, Grandmother._ **"** Fleur said in a small voice, her eyes lingering on the glistening silver.

" _You do not need to thank me. My grandmother did the same thing for me as you will do the same thing for you heir._ **"** Régine smiled at her before clapping her hands and called out, **"** _Zoody._ **"** Fleur glanced up to see an older house elf pop into the room.

" _Yes, Mistress?_ **"**

" _Would you mind leading Fleur to where you took Hermione? I am sure they would like to make themselves presentable before heading home._ **"**

" _Of course, Mistress. Come, Miss. Fleur. Your Snaggletooth is in the upstairs bath._ **"**

Fleur stood up with a parting smile and followed the elf to the door. Just as she placed a foot in the hallway, Régine called out to her.

" _Oh, and Fleur._ **"** She immediately turned to see her grandmother's smirking face. **"** _Try not to get her pregnant while you are both still in school. That would cause more problems than I think you want to deal with._ **"**

Her ears burned as she quickly shut the door behind her.

-oOo-

Hermione hummed at the feeling of the warm water seeping into her fur. She was currently floating in the middle of the pool-like bath, enjoying the way the steam and heat soothed her aching muscles and relaxing her more than she thought it would. An internal blush emerged at the thought of what _caused_ those aches before she snorted, banishing the memories before the heat overwhelmed her.

The soft click of the door opening caused her to lift her head and chuff at the blonde. The saber tooth quickly paddled over to the edge and shifted back to human before laying her head on her arms. Hermione watched Fleur fondly as the blonde moved about the bathroom and couldn't help saying, **"** _That did not take long._ **"**

" _No._ **"** Fleur said. Hermione felt her breath catch as the blonde pulled off her shirt and pale skin was revealed, **"** _She just wanted to make sure that I did not lose control of the Veela and kidnap you in the middle of the night._ **"**

" _Did you tell her that I basically kidnapped you instead?_ **"**

The smirk directed her way sent a shudder down her spine. Hermione bit her lip to contain a moan as she rubbed her thighs together, the heat flaring up the more she watched the blonde strip.

" _Not in that many words, but yes, I explained the situation to her._ **"**

"I missed you." Hermione immediately buried her head into the crook of her arm as her cheeks heated up. _Stupid hormones,_ she groaned to herself, _making me say stupid things._

A soft splash to her right and a hand petting her hair had her looking up at Fleur's smiling face. **"** _I missed you too, my love._ **"**

Hermione moved to stand between Fleur's legs before wrapping her arm around the blonde's middle and kissing the skin above her heart. She didn't know if it was because of the Bonding, the heat, or the Veela herself, but she needed to be close to Fleur. The soft thumping of her mate's heart calmed her more than she ever thought possible and she began to hum as arms wrapped around her shoulders and lips pressed against her head.

They stayed like that for a few moments, Fleur sitting on the edge of the bath and Hermione trying to work up enough nerve to try something new. Just as the brunette began to turn her head, intent on working her way down to taste the heated flesh that was pressed against her stomach, Fleur muttered, **"** _I have something for you._ **"**

" _What is it?_ **"** Hermione leaned back slightly. The apprehension she felt radiating from the blonde made her nervous all of sudden. **"** _What is wrong?_ **"**

" _Nothing is wrong._ **"** Fleur accompanied this statement by a kiss to her forehead, **"** _I am just…worried that you will think I am strange._ **"**

Hermione snorted, **"** _You are not the one in heat. If you do not think I am strange, then trust me, no matter what you say, I will never think you are._ **"**

" _Alright, but it is a rather odd request._ **"**

" _I do not care._ **"**

Hermione watched Fleur reach for something on her pile of clothes. Her curiosity peaked when a slim, black box was presented to her. It rose even more when she went to reach for it and Fleur stopped her.

Glancing up at Fleur's nervous face, Hermione sighed, "Fleur, trust me. No matter what is in there, I'm not going to think any less of you. I promise."

Fleur looked down at the box in her hands, fiddling with the lid before nodding. Without meeting her eyes, the blonde lifted the lid and showed Hermione the contents (who just gaped at the silver inside).

"Is that a-a…"

"A collar? Oui, it is."

Hermione glanced up at Fleur in shock before returning her gaze to the collar. _It is rather pretty_ , Hermione thought as the light in the bathroom glinted off the silver. She figured that it was about the width of two of her fingers and would fit (quite) snuggly around her neck. The single pendant that hung from the D-ring was clearly the Delacour coat of arms; the screaming harpy eagle one she recognized easily.

"I-I don't understand. You want to collar me?"

Fleur pushed a hand through her hair and sighed, "Oui and I never KNEW zat I wanted to until Grandmére gave me zis. I…"

"Wait, wait. Hold up. _Régine_ gave you this?" Hermione shook her head in disbelief.

"Oui. She understands what zee Veela wants better zan it does sometimes. I never realized what it wanted while we were togezer because I truly do not know if it itself knew. We 'ad a vague idea of course, but zee collar makes perfect sense and everyzing a lot easier."

"Easier?" Hermione narrowed her eyes in concentration. "What do you mean?"

"Last night…Merlin, even before last night if I am 'onest, boz me and zee Veela wanted a way to claim you, mark you, show zee world zat you were ours."

"The biting…the scratching…" Hermione muttered. When she had first been led to the bathroom, she had immediately shifted out of her fur to take in the damages of last night. Her sides, stomach, and thighs were a network of red welts; Fleur's claws had definitely been out. Bite marks littered her body, some had been so deep that Hermione had had to wash away the dried blood that had welled up. Of course, she hadn't cared about any of the marks. She remembered how wild they had made her.

"Oui, zee biting and zee scratching," Fleur fingered a bite mark on her neck with a grimace. "I never zought about what I was doing or 'ow much it would 'urt you at zee time. I was following instinct."

"They never hurt me, Fleur." Hermione shook her head before blushing and ducking her head in embarrassment, "I actually enjoyed them. A lot."

"I know." Their lips met gently before Fleur leaned their foreheads together. "But I never zought about zee next day. You would want to 'ide zem, and I understand zat, but I zink zat act would enrage us."

"Because then the marks would be for nothing…"

"Oui and I would be required to make more."

"So the collar…"

"Zee collar would show everyone zat you are mine wizout zee embarrassment of explaining marks. Muggles would zink it is just fashion while Magicals would just see it as a way of you showing zat you are a member of zee Delacour family. Ozer creatures, 'owever, will know what it truly is and see zat you belong to me."

"And do I?" Hermione raised her eyebrow.

"Do you what?"

"Belong to you."

She wasn't sure if it was the narrowed eyes or the possessive growl that left her undone (or even if it was the way that Fleur pulled her out of the water so she was being held tightly on the blonde's lap), but Hermione found herself panting and mewling as she stared into suddenly dark eyes. The heat had returned full force and Hermione tried to grind her hips, but hands gripped her tightly, holding her in place.

" _Yes, you do._ **"** A set of teeth nipping at her collarbone had Hermione whining pitifully in the back of her throat. **"** _And you know it. I am just ensuring that the rest of the world knows that fact so I do not have to kill anybody who thinks they have a chance._ **"**

"Okay. Okay." Hermione nodded, "Just…please."

Both hands immediately left her hips to pull the collar out of the box. The brunette immediately started to rub against her mate before a glare had her freezing in place.

" _Lift your hair, Hermione._ **"** A set of teeth accompanied the command causing her to gasp. Hermione shuddered with pleasure before slowly complying.

The collar fit snuggly around her neck, the pendant resting at the hollow of her throat. Hermione could not help but moan at the feeling of the silver against her skin. When the idea had first been presented, she had been worried that this would make her feel weak, helpless. But now, with the collar actually around her, it felt like she could take on the world. Like her mate was somehow there, with her, always.

A muttered, **'** _So beautiful_ **'** , had Hermione gazing into dark blue, almost black eyes. She leaned her forehead against Fleur's, panting as the heat inside threatened to consume her. Lips met hers gently before a tongue caused it to deepen and begin a fight for domination (which Hermione gladly lost). A hand slid up and down her side, gently fingering the scratches, while the other sneaked its way between her legs. Hermione threw her head back and moaned as fingertips found their way to wet, heated flesh.

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

 **AN:** BEFORE ANYONE GETS EXCITED: This chapter IS NOT 8000+ words. It's more around 6000+. I went off on a bit of a tangent at the end of the chapter (which by all means skip, but if you want a good laugh then go ahead and read it) which is around 1500 words. I apologize for my rant and that is probably not the best way to deal with something, but its there, so enjoy.

Now, a few things. I was rereading this chapter and I noticed some interesting terminology that I don't think I discussed in previous chapters. For the sake of my sanity (so I don't have to go back and try and fit the explanation in), I hope nobody minds if I just explain it now. We all know Veela are sexual creatures. The books presented this, the movies showed this, its canon. I made the rule of 'No mating with non-Veela below the age of 18'. Reason I did this was because I'm trying to show that Veela had a bad rep years before and are slowly changing that (which is, hopefully, obvious by now). However, I meant mating as in with their soulmates. There's also another rule (which I never stated because I never had the need to) which goes along the lines of 'keep it in your age group'. This means that, since Veela _are_ sexual creatures, they can play (casual sex...whatever) with anybody they want to AS LONG AS the person is 1) above the age of consent and 2) within a few years of the Veela's age. Take of this information what you will, but I just wanted to explain this so some of my dialogue later on makes sense.

Next thing, some of you have been asking about Veela reproduction and futa and...look. At this point in time, I haven't really decided. We are still a long way away from any children being made and I honestly haven't thought about _how_ they will be made at this point in time (Regine's statement in the last chapter was meant mostly as a joke). If I do decide on the futa route, I can grantee you that I'm only going to hint at it, not describe anything in great detail. That kind of thing...I'm not so good on, unfortunately. I encourage you to keep thinking about it though! Everybody has been asking questions that is making me think on it. So...keep sending me suggestions!

So, that's it for this AN (remember there is one at the end which I am so sorry for). Hope you enjoy our first day at Hogwarts!

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter and I (unashamedly) bastardized Dumbledore's speech. Sorry for that.

-xXx-

" _Everyone, prepare yourselves. We will be landing shortly. Keep bright smiles on your faces and remember your steps for our entrance. We want to show the other schools what we are made of._ **"**

Hermione groaned in relief at the mention of landing. The six hour flight from Beauxbatons to Hogwarts had left her decidedly sick and she couldn't wait to get out of the rocking carriage. She had spent most of the time doubled over, her head in her hands, trying to convince herself not to puke. Even Fleur's calming presence hadn't been able to make a difference as the carriage rocked and jumped behind the flying Abraxans.

A snickering across from her had Hermione kicking her foot out to connect with the legs in her line of sight. A small smile emerged as she heard the groan of pain it produced.

" _No need to get violent, Maya._ **"** Amélie told her, **"** _It is not my fault that cats were not meant to fly._ **"**

" _No,_ **"** Hermione felt the hand resting on her back move up and down slowly, **"** _but it is your fault for making it worse._ **"**

She heard a huff of agitation and the legs in front of her crossed. **"** _It is not fair. You always take up for her anymore, Fleur. Where is the fun in that?_ **"**

" _Well of course I am going to take up for my mate._ **"** Hermione felt a spike of amusement along their Bond. **"** _You would take up for somebody too if they had as talented a tongue as…_ **"**

"ENOUGH!" Hermione's face burnt a bright red much to the enjoyment of Fleur and Amélie, who screeched with laughter. She was just happy that her face was turned to the floor so the rest of the carriage (who she could also hear snickering) couldn't see her embarrassment. "Please, let's not discuss that right now, okay? I'm not up to it."

The hand slid up to sweep through her hair. **"** _Of course, my lioness. Besides, I would not want Amélie to become jealous and try to find out how talented your tongue really is._ **"** Hermione groaned as the two Veela laughed again.

She had known that Veela (especially those around the same age) basically had an open policy on…well…everything. Hermione wasn't surprised when everybody teased them about finally Bonding (especially when they had found out the reason). She had expected it in fact. But trying to convince Fleur that there was a time and a place for such talk was next to impossible. Anytime the blonde had a chance to mention how she was in bed (or even how she sounded while she came), Fleur took. Hermione was surprised that the rest of the Veela hadn't become sick of hearing about their sex life yet.

The carriage jolting suddenly before finally coming to a stop had her groaning in relief. Hermione looked up and out of the window, excited to see the large and intimidating Hogwarts castle once more. The crowd of black robed students that stood at attention had her scanning faces, desperate to see her two best friends.

" _Oh, wow! No wonder you were so excited to come back. Hogwarts is huge!_ **"** Amélie was beside her, staring up at the old castle.

Hermione couldn't help but smile, **"** _It seems even bigger inside._ **"**

" _Alright ladies and gentlemen, let us go introduce ourselves._ **"** Madame Maxime clapped her hands together before descending the stairs.

Everybody immediately piled out of the carriage, excited to see the place they were going to spend a year. As soon as her feet hit the ground, Hermione remembered (and regretted not remembering earlier) the one thing she didn't like about Hogwarts.

" _Oh, holy fuck its cold!_ **"** Amélie huddled into the student standing next to her. All of the Beauxbatons delegation gathered closer together, hoping to share enough heat amongst themselves that they didn't freeze. Hermione immediately brought her arms up to wrap around herself, shivering violently as the thin silk of her uniform did nothing to protect her.

She felt arms wrap around her waist and pull her back into an equally quaking body. **"** _Why did you not tell us it would be like this?_ **"** Fleur asked through chattering teeth.

" _I did not remember until now._ **"** Hermione leaned back into her mate, trying to escape a sudden gust of cold wind that blew across the lake.

" _Shit. Shit. Shit._ **"** Amélie cursed while jumping from foot to foot. **"** _Fine time to remember now how cold it is in Scotland._ **"** Hermione watched as the redhead rubbed her arms with a scowl on her face. **"** _I am just glad that we are Veela. Can you imagine how long our leg hair would be if we could grow it?_ **"**

" _Speak for yourself, Veela._ **"** The student beside them gave her a dirty look before groaning, _"I am going to look like a gorilla if we do not get inside soon._ **"** A series of chuckles rang out over the group of students before they resumed focusing on the weather.

Seeing Maxime motion for them (Hermione hadn't even noticed Dumbledore standing there) had a lot of students sighing in relief. In pairs, they walked through the crowd of Hogwarts students towards the giant castle. Hermione looked at each passing face, hoping to see Harry or Ron, but at seeing the sea of green and blue on the cloaks, she realized (with an internal wince) that they were surrounded by Slytherins and Ravenclaws.

What surprised her while they were walking towards the castle was when she passed by the familiar face of Draco Malfoy. A sneer had begun to form on his face (obviously recognizing her) before it immediately changed to a neutral expression. She narrowed her eyes at him, curious as to what he was up to (she remembered her First Year quite clearly and knew the blonde boy hated her). Just as they passed him, Hermione saw his eyes lower slightly before he lifted an eyebrow at her and winked.

" _Did you know that boy?_ **"** Fleur asked her as they passed through the front doors.

" _What boy?_ **"** Hermione really hoped her mate didn't notice her and Malfoy's interaction.

" _The platinum blonde. He had green trimming around his cloak._ **"**

" _His hair was so blonde, I swear he was part of your family, Fleur._ **"** A student behind them butted in.

Hermione sighed as Fleur turned around to glare at the boy. **"** _Yes, I know him. His name is Draco Malfoy and he made my First Year a living hell. He is a pureblood supremacist._ **"**

She heard Amélie mutter **'** _Uh oh_ **'** while Fleur growled deeply. **"** _You will stay away from him._ **"**

Hermione raised an eyebrow at the order. **"** _Well, of course I will. I do not like him and he does not like me. Now tell me why YOU do not want me to be around him._ **"**

" _I do not trust him. He reeked of slime and reminded me of a snake. Not only that, but people like him put us under a scope. Always waiting for us to make one small move so they can lock us up like animals._ **"**

" _Not to mention the look he gave her._ **"** Some poor person decided to mutter. Fleur immediately rounded on the girl, giving her a solid shove while baring her teeth. Hermione latched onto her mate's arm while pushing thoughts of calm and love through the Bond, hoping to contain the quick-to-anger blonde before curses started flying.

" **Easy, Fleur."** Amélie muttered while Hermione slowly pulled Fleur back, **"No need to harm the idiot."**

Hermione shot the redhead a grateful look as Fleur huffed lightly and wrapped her arms around the brunette.

" **You are right, of course. Magicals do not understand anything."** Fleur murmured into Hermione's curls before placing a kiss against her head while actively staring away from the Fifth Year. The brunette simply sighed and leaned into her mate, internally shaking her head at the silliness of it all.

Nobody had really warned her about how possessive Veela were (Clara mentioned it in passing one time, but Hermione had thought nothing of it), but she was quickly finding that fact out. Since they had Bonded, Fleur had been nearly glued to her side, glaring and sneering at anyone who came 'too close to her' according to the blonde. Only those who were deemed to be friends and family were allowed near the couple and even then there were restrictions. Everybody else had learned quickly not to say or do anything towards them, lest they end up harmed. Hermione was just happy that Fleur hadn't had her wand in hand this time.

Madame Maxime calling out 'Karkaroff' caused most of the Beauxbatons students to turn their attention to the approaching group. Hermione didn't care what the Durmstrang delegation looked like (their synchronized marching and heavy footsteps told her enough) and instead kept her focus on Fleur.

The blonde, on the other hand, briefly looked at the other school before growling lowly and resumed staring intensely at the closed doors of the Great Hall. Hermione heard Fleur mutter **'** _Fantastic_ **'** before Amélie whistled lowly.

" _Well now, maybe a year in this freezing castle will not be so bad after all._ **"** Hermione raised her eyebrow in question at the redhead's statement.

" _I know what I am going to be doing._ **"** A Fifth Year Veela named Diane whispered to them, a smirk growing on her face as she continued to gaze at the group. A couple of agreements were whispered amongst the Beauxbatons students, both Veela and Magical alike flirting and smiling at the Durmstrangs.

" **No, you will not."** Fleur growled at Diane before turning her attention to the other Veela Sisters in the crowd, making sure to catch their attention. **"You know that we will be under a more watchful eye than the Magicals, so we need to be more careful. Do not mess with any of the students here. We need to show the British that we are not simply predators that pounce at the first chance we have."**

" **That is not fair, Fleur."** Diane whined, **"You already have your mate. Let us have some fun as well."**

Hermione remained silent as the two blondes glared at each other, Thrall slowly starting to build up between them. She didn't see many Veela power struggles (most of the time they were unnecessary), but she knew that any interference from a third party could cause a fight to break out. Especially if she was the one to interfere.

Finally, just before they attracted the attention of the congregated witches and wizards, Diane lowered her head and took a step back, a scowl forming on her face. Hermione felt the arm around her waist tighten briefly before Fleur nodded, **"Do not mess with the students here. That said, the age of consent in Magical Britain is 16 and we are allowed to go the Hogsmeade Village on the weekends. If you find somebody of age that you want to play with, do it there, I do not care. Just do not do anything under the watchful eye of British Officials or while we are in the castle."**

Hermione shook her head as the congregated Veela cheered and continued to look hopefully at the Durmstrang group. This entire situation just reaffirmed her earlier thoughts of ' _Veela are weird'_ which, truly, is the only way to describe what had just happened.

Fleur putting her lips to her ear drew her attention. Just as her mate was about to say something, one of the doors to the Great Hall opened slightly to allow a familiar looking small, hunched back man to slip through. Hermione watched with mild amusement (mostly at the irritation radiating from the blonde from being interrupted) as Filch said something to Maxime before dashing back through the doors.

The half-giantess clapped her hands to gain her students' attention. **"** _Aright, here we go! Remember your steps and spells. We are here to impress._ **"**

-oOo-

Fleur sighed in relief as they all bowed before the Hogwarts students. Thrall was thick in the air (she had been against them using it, but Maxime had insisted) which caused most of the students to either clap enthusiastically or to scowl and glare at them. Fleur was sure that none of the other demonstrations (the wild sparks of light or the Patronus beasts that played high above their heads) would be remembered. Only the sighing and dancing Veela. The injustice of it all had her growling lowly.

" **Thank Apollo that is done."** Amélie whispered to her as they were moved to the right side of the Hall for Durmstrang's entrance. She could not help but agree and look towards her mate as the brunette's hand slipped into hers. Fleur felt her chest well with pride and the Veela within purr as they saw the silver collar catch the flickering candlelight high above their heads. Sometimes, it was still hard for her to believe that the girl accepted her request so easily (or how wonderful it felt to see the brunette wear it). Hermione must have felt her delight through their Bond because she simply rolled her eyes and squeezed her hand.

A sharp strike echoing throughout the Hall had Fleur immediately turning her attention to the doors. The boys from Durmstrang were lined up in rows of three in, what looked to be oldest to youngest. At least one boy in each row was carrying a stick that produced a spark each time it was hit against the ground. Fleur grew rather bored (even though the Veela was delighted with the fire dancing) as the group danced and fought their way to the front of the room. A fiery Phoenix produced from a rather familiar looking boy signaled the end of their performance and left the entire Great Hall speechless for a moment before erupting in wild applause.

She felt Amélie nudge her slightly while she was clapping, **"** _We should have done that! Our fire would have been more real._ **"**

" _I doubt Magical Britain is prepared to see the true nature of Veela fire._ **"** Fleur smirked at her friend and they both laughed at how true the statement was.

Headmaster Dumbledore standing up had the entire hall quieting immediately, "Such amazing entrances from both of our friends, wouldn't you agree?" Another cheer rose up through the Hogwarts students before being quieted down once more.

"Beauxbaton and Durmstrang, we gladly welcome you to Hogwarts castle and hope that you enjoy your stay. Now, in true Hogwarts fashion, I feel like each of your schools represents one of our Hogwarts' Houses. Since we cannot Sort each and every one of you like we do our incoming students, we have placed you according to the ideals of your Headmasters. Beauxbaton, I believe that…"

Whatever Dumbledore was about to say was lost to the murmuring of the Great Hall. Fleur watched in amusement as Hermione let loose of her hand and made her way confidently towards one of the tables (Fleur noted the golden lion on the banners above which made the move even more entertaining to her). A group of students near the middle of the table stood up and cheered as the brunette made her way towards them. The recognizable faces of Harry Potter and Ron Weasley soon leapt off the bench and ran to her, both pulling Hermione in for a tight hug before leading her back to their seats where the other cheering students started patting the brunette on the back and shouting words of encouragement.

Fleur turned her attention back to Dumbledore to see his eyes sparkling behind his half-moon glasses. She spared a glance at Maxime (whose scowling face had turned a bright red) and quickly cleared her throat to gain the old man's attention.

"Pardon me, 'eadmaster." She smiled at him before gesturing towards her mate, "If you do not mind, I believe zat our choice 'as been made for us."

"Of course not, my dear!" Dumbledore beamed at her. "I must admit that I never even thought of Gryffindor house for you. I figured your classmates would be more comfortable with Ravenclaw, but I can now see how wrong I was. Please, join your new friends and welcome to the house of the Brave."

Fleur raised her eyebrow at the flamboyance of it all and simply said 'Merci, 'eadmaster' before turning on her heel and walking towards Hermione. She felt her Sisters follow her lead and just hoped that the rest of the Beauxbatons delegation would come as well.

She made her way towards the excited group of students that surrounded her mate and cleared her throat, gaining the attention of the unfamiliar brunette boy sitting to the left of Hermione.

"Excusez-moi, may I sit 'ere?"

Fleur raised her eyebrow at his awestruck face (all while pushing the Veela back down as it raged over somebody unknown being so close to their mate). The boy mumbled something unintelligible before quickly moving over, sliding into a redheaded girl that was glaring down at the table.

Fleur thanked him and quickly took her seat, grabbing Hermione's hand and squeezing it slightly to gain the girl's attention. Bright, amber eyes immediately turned towards her and she could not help but smile at how happy Hermione looked.

"It's good to see you again, Fleur!" Harry Potter happily said across from her. She smiled her agreement and waved towards a red-faced Ron (she could see that he was pinching his arm to try and breakout of the Haze). _So somebody did tell them what I was,_ she thought with delight. Just the simple fact that the boy was trying showed Fleur that he wanted to be friends, something that rarely happened with non-Veela. Of course, she realized that had it not been for Hermione, the redheaded boy might not have even tried.

Hermione leaning forward to look past her caught Fleur's attention. "Sorry, Neville." Her mate called out to the brunette boy, "I hope you didn't mind."

"Of course not, Hermione." Neville replied. He quickly looked at her before turning his attention back to Hermione, "I understand. Don't worry about it. I'm just happy you're back."

The way he said it had Fleur narrowing her eyes. It was like he knew the true nature of her and Hermione's relationship which was odd. _The only way he would_ _know,_ Fleur thought suddenly, _is if he is a Marauder too._ However, she did not see a silver ring when she glanced at his right hand.

In fact, (Fleur quickly looked at both Harry and Ron's right hands as well) she did not see any of the telltale silver rings. Her eyes quickly narrowed in suspicion as she considered that maybe the secret society was a joke after all. Before she could question the boys, a swift tap on her leg had her looking directly across her.

Amélie's eyebrow raised in question at her as she sat down before turning to Hermione, **"** _That was a bold move, Maya. Maxime will not like it too well._ **"**

Hermione glanced up at Maxime before shrugging her shoulders, **"** _What else is new? Nothing I do pleases her._ **"**

"Um…what's wrong 'Mione?"

Fleur turned her attention to the quickly reddening Boy-Who-Lived as he glanced back and forth between her mate and the redheaded Veela that was sat beside him. The blonde quickly shot Amélie a glare (who luckily understood the look and reigned in the Thrall). A sigh of relief escaped her as she saw the tension ebb away from the Hogwart's student.

"Nothing, Harry." Hermione waved her hand dismissively at the teacher's table. "Amélie here was just telling me something that I already knew."

Fleur quickly looked up and down the table, making sure that all of her Sisters and young fledglings were within sight, as Amélie smirked. "Do not say zat I did not warn you when Maxime reprimands you tonight."

"Who cares? Honestly, what's one more detention at this point?"

"Detention?!" Fleur turned her attention to the dark-skinned boy sitting next to Harry. She became even more curious when she saw a boy across from him choke on his drink.

"You're kidding right?" The boy had a look of wide-eyed shock, "Hermione Granger would never get detention."

"Yea, 'Mione." Ron elbowed the brunette, "What was the thing you said in our First Year when we wanted to do something stupid? 'We could get killed or worse…'"

"EXPELLED!" Harry and Ron both finished and laughed at, what Fleur assumed, was a rather funny memory.

"Yes, laugh it up you two." Hermione leaned her elbow on the table and smiled fondly at the pair.

" _You did not really say that, right?_ **"** Fleur could not help but whisper to her mate. This was the first time she had heard of this (probably for good reason as she would have made fun of the girl herself) and she found it hard to believe.

Hermione turned sheepishly towards her, "Yea, I did. But," the brunette turned back to her friends, "a lot has changed since then. I'm not the same Hermione you guys knew. In fact, Dean," Fleur saw the dark-skinned boy's face change to confusion, "it's Delacour now, not Granger."

"Well, now that we are all settled," the Great Hall quieted down immediately and all eyes turned to the front table as Headmaster Dumbledore began to speak, "I invite all of you to relax, eat, and make yourselves at home in our wonderful school." The old wizard clapped his hands several times and the tables filled with a variety of dishes, some of which (Fleur sighed in relief) were recognizable.

" **They sure like to be flamboyant here, do they not?"** Amélie snickered as she began placing portions on her plate.

Fleur smiled at the animated brunette beside her as she laughed and joked with her friends, all the while carefully dodging questions from everybody about where she had been for the past two years. She could not help but chuckle slightly as she felt the mixture of embarrassment and pride radiating from the girl as somebody mentioned the collar around her neck. Luckily, the students seemed to accept her explanation (even though Fleur herself received odd looks from Harry, Ron, and, strangely enough, Neville).

However, none of that really mattered. The blonde had never seen Hermione this open with what (to her seemed to be) a group of strangers and it truly made Fleur realize how much the girl had missed her friends. Fleur wanted Hermione to always be this happy and felt herself become determined in making sure that happened. No matter what.

" **Yes, they are,"** Fleur turned and gave Amélie a toothy smile, **"But something tells me it is all going to be worth it."**

-oOo-

The end of dinner was signaled by another series of claps by the Hogwarts' Headmaster. Fleur could not remember the last time she had had such a variety of food and hoped that every meal would not be like this. Ron had mentioned something about a Halloween feast tomorrow and Fleur prayed that he was wrong. She did not think she could survive another grand feast so soon.

"It is time, students and guests," Dumbledore walked in front of the teacher's table and gestured, "to talk about why we are all really here: The Triwizard Tournament!"

The Hall erupted into cheers. Fleur noticed that the older boys of Durmstrang (who had been placed at the Snake table) were all elbowing one another and laughing. The Seventh Year Beauxbatons students all sat up at attention, not wanting to miss a single instruction.

"Yes, yes, I know we are all excited for the Tournament to start. Before we bring out the casket, however, I want to explain a few things. First off, allow me to introduce the two men who made this gathering possible: Mr. Bartemius Crouch and Mr. Ludo Bagman!"

The students cheered wildly once more. Fleur could not wait to write home and tell Gabrielle that Ludo Bagman himself was going to part of the Triwizard Tournament (she had, of course, found out the Viktor Krum was part of the Durmstrang group, but her younger sister did not care much for the Seeker). She just hoped that the man would allow her to get an autograph for the young girl.

" _I am not sure if we should avoid Mr. Crouch or thank him for allowing us to leave during the World Cup fiasco._ **"** Hermione whispered suddenly.

Fleur looked at the older man and noticed how his eyes lingered on them for a moment before moving on. She turned to whisper to Hermione as Dumbledore resumed talking, **"** _I am not sure myself. I feel like we should thank him in some way, but I do not know how to go about it. When we write home, we will ask Papa for advice._ **"**

"Mr. Filch, if you please."

Fleur turned her attention back to the front just as the Hall gasped in shock as the covering was whipped off of a large, ornamental goblet. She felt the Veela still as magic radiated from the item and whipped around the Great Hall. A shuddering beside her indicated that Hermione felt it too.

"This is the Goblet of Fire." Dumbledore walked around it while staring at the students. "It will choose our three champions tomorrow on Halloween night. Anybody who wishes to submit themselves as a champion only needs to write their name and school on a slip of parchment and drop it in the Goblet. You all know the rules and who is and isn't allowed to compete. To ensure that there is no cheating and nobody underage submits their name, I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet."

Fleur heard a muttered 'Such Bollocks' further down the table which was quickly followed by a grunt of pain. Obviously, some of the Hogwarts' students did not agree with the 'Seventeen and older only' rule.

"With that, I would like to officially announce the start of the Triwizard Tournament!" Another rise of cheers exploded around the Great Hall as Dumbledore shouted out one last line, "I wish all our potential champions a good luck and a 'good night' to all of you!"

-oOo-

"Miss Delacour, a moment of your time if you'd please."

Hermione stopped chatting with Harry and Ron and turned to see Professor Dumbledore walking towards them, a smile upon his face and his eyes twinkling as he gazed at them. Her friends were just walking her and Fleur to the school entrance, intent on being around for as long as possible. Surely the headmaster would not warn her off of them this early (Ron and Harry's theory of the old wizard repeating in her head the closer he got).

"Oui, 'eadmaster. 'ow may I 'elp you?" Fleur stepped in between them, having let go of Hermione's hand to perform the movement. The brunette was able to feel her mate's curiosity and caution through their Bond. Obviously, the boys' warning was running through Fleur's mind as well.

With a quick smile towards her, Dumbledore turned his attention to Fleur, "Ah, yes. I meant to tell this to Madame Maxime, but she seemed to disappear right after the feast. I noticed your vigilance tonight and wanted to calm some of your worries. It is rather unfortunate how Britain handles those with creature blood, but here at Hogwarts, we do not let differences affect how we treat guests."

"Um…Merci, 'eadmaster," Fleur said warily, "I 'ave warned my Sisters about your laws and I will make sure zat zey are followed. Nobody will disturb your students, I promise."

"I'm sure you will keep everybody safe, but that's not what I wanted to tell you. If you ask any Hogwarts student, they will tell you that the Forbidden Forest is, well, forbidden. However, I know that you and your Clan Sisters would probably feel more at home there than stuck in the carriage or castle all of the time. So, for your stay here, you may explore and stay in the forest whenever you feel it necessary. I just ask that you respect the local boundaries. Hogwarts can only offer you so much of the forest to explore. The rest is claimed by the local Centaur herd.."

Hermione heard Harry's sudden intake of breath behind her while shock resonated through the Bond. This was definitely not the Dumbledore she expected (she had met him only briefly in her First Year and he seemed lovely, but Harry and Ron had changed her opinion on him).

"I cannot zank you enough, 'eadmaster." Fleur dipped her head in thanks towards the older wizard, who just smiled in return. "Zis is very generous of you and I promise zat we will respect zee ozer creatures."

Dumbledore placed his hands behind his back, "You do not have to thank me, Miss Delacour. As I said, I want my guests to feel at home while they are here." With that, he turned around and began down the hall.

He had only taken a couple of steps before quickly turning around and smiling at Hermione, "Oh and I forgot. It will be nice seeing you roam these halls once more, Miss Delacour. Your presence has been sorely missed these past few years."

"It-it's nice to be back, Professor." Hermione stammered out. She watched him wink at her and walk away, humming some unknown tune.

She waited until she knew he was out of earshot before turning around to see the shocked faces of Harry and Ron. "I thought you two said that he was being manipulative," she whispered harshly.

Hermione and Fleur had discussed in length what they would do if faced with the Headmaster. They had been prepared for hidden messages and manipulative words masked behind kind exchanges. The conversation that just happened was nothing more than a generous gesture to make the Veela feel more at home.

"Trust me, 'Mione, that was just as shocking to us." Harry said while Ron just tapped his finger to his chin in thought.

"Maybe there is, or will be, something hidden in the Forest." Ron muttered to himself.

Harry shook his head, "No, mate. We would've found, or heard of it, by now, don't you think?"

"I zink you are boz being silly. Zee 'eadmaster just performed a kind gesture, nozing more. In fact," Fleur crossed her arms, "I am beginning to zink zat you are joking wiz us about zee entire zing."

"Entire thing?" Ron questioned.

"Oui, zee ENTIRE zing." Hermione looked at her mate in confusion, trying to figure out what she was hinting at, before she saw the gesture the blonde was making. Fleur was tapping her right middle finger on her arm while glancing down at the boys' hands. Hermione too looked down at their hands and saw the bright silver bands adorning them. She hadn't been able to get a close look at them at dinner, but she had seen their smiles when she flashed her own towards the boys.

"OH! Oh, oh oh, I get it." Harry quickly rubbed his forehead, tapping his middle finger as well (causing Fleur to cock her head to the side), before dropping his hand back down. "Trust me, we aren't. But we can't explain it right now. I'm sure you both are exhausted from your trip and want to get settled in. Would it be alright if we met up in to morning? That way, we could get to know each other better and get caught up on what you guys have been doing when we are all better rested."

Hermione rested her hand on Fleur's arm, gaining the blonde's attention, before turning to the Boy-Who-Lived, "Of course, Harry. I know I could fall asleep standing right now." Harry smiled in relief and nodded.

"Actually," Fleur spoke up causing the three Fourth Years to look at her, "we cannot see you in zee morning. Somezing urgent 'as come up zat we need to address as soon as possible. Per'aps we can meet around lunch time, yes? I do not know 'ow long it will take us."

Hermione looked at the blonde in confusion. _What could've possibly have happened in such a short time?_ She thought.

"Um…yea, sure. No problem, Fleur." Harry rubbed the back of his neck, "Around lunch time it is then."

Seeing Fleur smile in agreement caused Hermione to shake her head in confusion. She became determined to find out what was up with the blonde once they were back in their room. But first, there was something she needed to do.

As the four students came to a stop a few steps from the main entrance, Hermione stepped forward and pulled both boys into a tight hug. She felt worry echo along the Bond as tears welled up in her eyes.

All night, something in her had demanded that she keep touching Harry and Ron in some way, just to make sure that they were really there and this was not all a dream. Hermione was sure that Harry had picked up on it halfway through dinner because he had been smiling at her, reassuring her, the entire time.

Now though, especially since they were parting, she was almost afraid. Afraid that she really had been dreaming about coming to Hogwarts. That Harry and Ron were not there and that she would wake back up in Beauxbatons' castle, surrounded by witches and wizards who were afraid of her fur. That the only escape she had from the mundane world around her was through Fleur and the magical forest she lived in with the Delacour's.

Of course, all of her worries and fears vanished when arms wrapped tightly around her in response.

"It will be alright 'Mione," Harry whispered to her.

"Yea, we will see each other tomorrow," Ron leaned back and smiled. She gave a watery smile in return, happy that they weren't making fun of her short-term (hopefully) clinginess.

Ron cleared his throat suddenly and looked towards Fleur, "Alright. We will meet in front of the Great Hall, say around noon? If you are back before then, we can eat lunch, and then go talk. That should give us just enough time before the Halloween feast starts to sort everything out."

"Always thinking with your stomach, aren't you." The teasing had come back so naturally for Hermione that she couldn't stop herself from saying that.

Luckily, Ron just gave her a lopsided grin, "Well, of course! I am a growing boy after all."

Hermione just shook her head before stepping back and grabbing Fleur's hand. "Alright you two. We will see you tomorrow at noon. I expect a long, detailed story of what you have been getting up to."

"Yes, Hermione." They both mock saluted and allowed them to pass. Just as they stepped outside and walked down the steps, she turned around one final time to give a parting wave.

She couldn't help but smile as the gesture was returned.

-oOo-

" _I missed something tonight, yes?_ **"** Fleur spoke up from where she lounged on their bed.

Hermione was attempting to get her hair out of the tight ponytail (with a fair amount of wincing) and looked at her mate in the mirror. **"** _Yes, you did. But that is alright. They are going to give us an overview tomorrow then we meet the rest of the 'Marauders' the day after._ **"**

" _Did they have the rings too?_ **"**

" _Yes, but I could not see them clearly._ **"** Hermione turned around to face Fleur, **"** _You really could not see them?_ **"**

" _No, which is odd since I can see yours. I was really worried that everything was a hoax, especially with how nice Dumbledore was._ **"** Fleur had informed the rest of the Veela about being allowed in the Forest as soon as they returned to the carriage (Amélie had looked at her in disbelief and said, **"** _Have you been outside? It is too cold to travel back and forth between the carriage and Hogwarts, let alone exploring the Forest!_ **"** ). Despite that, a lot of the Veela looked relieved at the given permission.

" _I know, that was rather odd. But, then again, perhaps we hyped ourselves up too much. So, what 'urgent thing' do we have to do in the morning?_ **"** Hermione finally undid the knot and walked over to Fleur, handing the blonde a brush before sitting between her outstretched legs.

She felt Fleur's happiness through the Bond as she began to gently brush her curls. **"** _We need to go talk to the Centaurs. It is a courtesy to inform our temporary neighbors that we will be exploring Hogwarts' side of the Forest. That way, we know exactly what the boundaries are and, if somebody accidently crosses them, the Centaurs will not become offended._ **"**

Hermione hummed and leaned back to rest fully against her mate, **"** _I understand and am ashamed that I did not think of that. And you do not know how long it will take because…_ **"**

" _Because I do not know how long it will take to find the Centaurs._ **"**

" _And you want to explore the Forest a bit._ **"**

" _You know me so well._ **"** A kiss was placed against her temple.

" _I am just…_ **"** Hermione hesitated a moment before moving to look at Fleur, **"** _really happy we are finally here._ **"**

" _I know. And I am happy that I get to share this experience with you._ **"** Fleur maneuvered them under the covers so they were face to face before swishing her wand to extinguish the candle. Hermione immediately snuggled into the blonde, her face pressed against the side of her neck while tangling their legs together. A small hum emerged as arms wrapped around her to pull her closer.

" _I am happy you are here too, Fleur._ **"** Hermione whispered.

The blonde chuckled slightly before pressing a kiss against her forehead. The day's events were quickly catching up to them and sleep was pressing at the corners of their consciousness. Hermione felt her (normally raging) thoughts begin to calm in the blonde's presence.

Something suddenly teased at the corner of her mind, almost a nagging sensation that she was missing something. Her brow furrowed slightly as she tried to chase the thought down, intent on studying it. However, the arm around her sliding down slightly and Fleur nuzzling into her hair, sighing as she found a better position, caused it to escape. Hermione sighed internally and willed herself to sleep.

 _No need to worry_ , she thought right as she drifted off, _everything is perfect, after all._

-xXx-

 **AN:** Whew boy, that was fun. I hope you all enjoyed our entrance to Hogwarts because you have no idea how hard that was to write (my mind is hyping up for the Tasks and that's all it wants to think about). Anyways, (as stated in the above AN) yes, this is a rare post-story AN, but for good reason.

I actually debated long and hard with myself on whether I should write this AN or not. I was afraid that people might get offended and I might receive more hate for it. But then I thought…I really want this information to get back to the person and (since this is the only way I know for it to get there) I sort of have to. So, here we go.

On the last chapter, I am happy to announce that I received my first flame (not really a flame, more of a "What a shame you did this thing, I can't believe you ruined a good story, etc." It's in the reviews if you want to read it.) and I finally felt like a true fanfic writer! Woohoo! Now, some of you know that I love to talk (write…whatever) things out and I feel like everybody who PM'd me (or I PM'd) with a question or issue got to have their say and sometimes actually influenced the story itself. I've had a lot of great people point things out to me that I never thought of and I've either gone back and changed it or argued my case. In the end of all of those, however, I feel like we reached an agreement that everybody approved of and was happy with (I'm not unreasonable after all).

But, with this reviewer, I can't do that because 1) they wrote the review as a guest and 2) it wasn't constructive criticism…at all. And, luckily for them, I was in…let's call it a _mood_ …when I received that email so my brain produced a _bunch_ of counter-arguments (probably the main reason this AN is rather long, in which case, you should be lucky that I toned it down a bit after my brain surge because it was longer). That said, I am really hoping that Ann (my lovely guest) is willing to contribute more to the argument so we can reach an agreement like the rest. I do not like things remaining open-ended like this and would appreciate their opinion on a few things.

I am going to now go ahead and apologize for this long AN and say that you may feel free to skip it if you wish (however, if you want a good laugh, go ahead and enjoy).

So, Ann, first things first, thank you. You started out by saying that my fic was good! Despite the rest of your words, you still acknowledge that it is (or was in your opinion) a good story so that does my pride some good.

Moving on, my first question for you, Ann…could you please direct me to these other fics you speak of? I would like to read them for…uh…research? Sure, let's go with research.

Honest to God, have no clue what other fics do an Alpha/Beta (I would've called it D/S, but whatever) story arc. I know "Collaring the Muggleborn Kitten" by bushy-haired veela and, perhaps on some level, "Tell Me Your Secrets" by Ladyfun, but that's it (both great fics by the way). I don't know of any others. So please, tell me what all D/S fics are out there (especially if they are good yet 'ruined' in your opinion)! I beg you. Help me out here. I'm desperate.

Alright, that out of the way, let's get into dissecting your review. The first thing that I noticed (and laughed hysterically at) was your insinuation that an Alpha/Beta (it's a freaking D/S relationship and I will refer to it as such from here on out) is not a 'real relationship'. So…what exactly IS a real relationship in your mind? To me, a relationship is any 2+ consenting adults partaking in whatever the Hell they want to do. Be that going to the movies or strapping one to a table and beating them with a wet hose while singing "God Save the Queen". As long as all parties are consenting to whatever and they aren't harming anybody/anything else, they are in a relationship. It is only when somebody is being forced to do something against their will that the 'relationship' turns 'fake' (abusive, scary, harmful, dangerous…these are the words I wanted to use, but I'm trying to use the terminology you presented). And for you to imply that what I was writing is not a real relationship is actually quite insulting. Never would I write something like that (I'm not saying nobody else should, just that I can't do it). So please, explain in greater detail what you define a 'real relationship' as.

(Just a word of warning: If you bring 'Fifty Shades of Grey" anywhere near this discussion I will shut it down immediately. That is not a real relationship in anyway and it is not an example of D/S so therefore, does not belong in this conversation.)

Along that same train of thought, how can you call a D/S 'relationship' not a 'real' relationship? It's not like I made this up off the top of my head. D/S relationships DO exist and there are a lot of really amazing people currently (and happily) in such relationships. (In my _mood_ , my brain happily supplied the argument "Calling a D/S relationship not a real relationship is like calling all fish animals except for trout...fuck trout" Not sure if that helps me or not, but I figured I might as well add it)

My next point (and my second round of laughter) is when you said that writing a D/S relationship is a crutch for writers. Yea…no…gonna have to have you go into a better explanation on that one. In my opinion (please note that I am definitely not the expert on this as you should know that this is my first true story), writing a D/S relationship is hard as fuck! I mean, holy shit! You have to lay down ground rules in the beginning and make sure you keep following them as the story progresses. Not only that, but if you want some more spiciness/drama, you have to think of a 'punishment' if said rules are broken. That's a lot to remember when your writing something that isn't even entirely focusing on the relationship! Whereas, in a 'real relationship' (I am really assuming (hoping) you mean 'vanilla' at this point), it's just:

"You want pizza tonight?"

"Um…nah…not feeling pizza…Did you sleep with my cousin's son's girlfriend's sister-in-law?"

"What?! Baby no…of course not. I love you! Let's get married tonight in front of all our friends and family so I can prove myself worthy of you."

"There's no need. Let's get Chinese instead."

"Ok."

(I am so sorry for everything that just happened…no clue where that came from)

And really, that shit is easy. Writing a 'vanilla' relationship is just basically writing two best friends who have sex occasionally. Throw in a bit of drama here and there so the readers don't fall asleep [or have a kick ass story line with the relationship as an undertone (or steamy sex scenes which I already said I'm not doing)] and TADA! One vanilla relationship to go. So yea, explain what you mean by 'a crutch' if you please.

For my final point (one which I shouldn't really need to explain, but…come on), THIS IS FICTION! MY fiction to be precise. You want a 'real relationship'? You write one. Easy as that. But, not only is this fiction, but I'm also writing a relationship between…not one…but TWO creatures! No shit there's going to be an element of D/S. Very rarely (so rarely that I can't think of an example at this point in time) is there not a dominate partner and a submissive partner in the animal kingdom. Yes, there are relationships where they both work together for a common goal (see: Homo sapiens), but in the end, you still know who's boss, even if it's to such a minute degree that it isn't even noticeable at first. Even in my above 'vanilla example' (which I am, once again, truly sorry for), you can see a clear dominance in the one partner while the other one is scrambling for forgiveness.

And (if you want the truth to it) the relationship I presented isn't as D/S as it could've been. The only thing I did was a marking of sorts. I never presented any rules to follow with harsh consequences. I never showed bondage, whipping, or any other sort of kink (unless you count the biting and scratching but, once again, refer to the 'creatures' part of my argument). Yes, I may have insinuated that things might get a bit more D/S in the future, but that was up in the air at that point (and trust me, if you read some of the reviews and PM's I get, you would see that a LOT of people want me to go down that route in FULL detail). Ann, I hate to break it to you darlin', but you kinda jumped the gun on your disappointment. I could surely disappoint you more, further down the road if a small, brief, collaring scene makes you sad now.

So, my dear sweet guest reviewer Ann, I'm gonna need you to go into greater detail than what you did. As you can see, I am vastly confused on a lot of your points and need some clarification. I would ask that you construct your counter argument in a 5 page essay (mine is a few sentences past the 5 page mark in Word), but that is a little bit too mean I think. At the very least, give me more than a single sentence, yea?

I eagerly await your response.

 **Thanks for reading!**


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

 **AN:** Why...hello everyone. Did you all have a good week? Mine was...meh...but I did get to work on this story for a long while so that's good news.

I know what you're all thinking, "Oh dear, here we go again. I wonder how long the rant will be this time." Good news though. I have no rant. Ann never messaged me back (if they did, then they hid their name behind 'guest') so I guess that's the end of that tale. Was really looking forward to it too...hmm... By the way, thank you, literally everybody, who PM'd me, left a review, whatever. You guys are so supportive and I love you all so much. The fact that you felt the need to tell me how much you loved the story and what you thought of Ann really meant a lot to me. A few of you told me not to quit writing and, I just wanted to tell you, I don't think I could if I tried. Definitely expect more out of me after this story is done.

But, legit though, this chapter really is 10,000+ words long. As with my last chapter featuring Harry and Ron, I lost track of what I was doing and just kept writing. I hope none of you minds too much as I think this chapter will answer a lot (not all unfortunately) of the questions you had in earlier chapters. Duner89 really wanted me to get to the Marauders in this chapter and, I'm sorry to say, but that isn't happening here. Next chapter for sure, but I had something I had to do before we met them.

So, I hope you enjoy this long ass chapter. I'm not sure if this will continue to be a pattern the more we get into the TWT. I want you to tell me whether you prefer longer chapters or the shorter ones. This chapter I could've divided up, but I just didn't want to. However, tell me your opinion and I'll go with the majority in the future (depending on if I encounter another chapter like this or not).

 **Disclaimer:** Whew boy. Nope, I do not own Harry Potter. I do not own the characters. And I do not own a majority of the names of people, creatures, and/or locations.

-xXx-

Hermione couldn't help the yawn that escaped her as she and Fleur walked through the Forbidden Forest. The Dictator (Hermione couldn't think of another name for the blonde at this point) demanded that she be up and dressed at the crack of dawn. Just to go traversing through the Forest to talk with Centaurs.

She wished Dumbledore had never given them the offer.

Of course, she understood the need for this journey. She remembered the story Harry had told her and Ron about his encounter with Firenze and the other Centaurs during that fateful detention and she knew how finicky they were with Magicals. Hence, the reason they were going to talk with them about sharing the Forest for a year. She just wished they could've done it later in the day.

" _Stop complaining, Maya._ **"** Fleur laughed at her. **"** _At least you are warm in your current form. The warming charm I placed this morning is already starting to fade._ **"**

Hermione immediately brushed against the blonde, hoping to share some of the heat her fur provided. An arm wrapped around her neck and a kiss was placed against the top of her head.

" _Thank you, my love. I just cannot wait for us to go inside._ **"**

Hermione quickly snorted, thinking about last night and how Fleur had wanted to explore the Forest a bit before meeting with Harry and Ron. Her mate had been so excited to be in the Forest, to encounter the creatures that lived there, to communicate with the trees (Fleur denied that she was able to do this, but Hermione knew the truth). But now, even though it was the blonde who demanded they get up this early, she was anxious to go inside. _Bloody typical._

Fleur playfully shoved her away, **"** _Haha, yes, very funny. Laugh it up, my love. Just remember that I-_ **"**

"Halt! State your business Witch and be on your way. You are trespassing." A group of five Centaurs quickly surrounded them, bows drawn but not aimed.

Their sudden appearance startled Hermione (she cursed herself for not remaining vigilant) and she could not help it as she felt her fur raise and a growl rumble free. She slowly crouched down, preparing herself for a fight as she felt the tension rising quickly in the air. The saber tooth saw the Centaurs begin to fidget, some of them played with their notched arrows as others swished their tails back and forth. Before a fight broke out, Fleur quickly silenced her (for which she instantly complied) and silence reigned in the Forest once more. She didn't want a fight with the Centaurs, but they did not need to be disrespectful in their wishes (or scare her half to death).

"Greetings, 'erdsmen. We come 'ere in peace, I promise. My name is Fleur Delacour and zis is my mate, 'ermione. I am no Witch, I am Veela."

"Veela?" A Centaur with a brown coat stepped forward and looked at them curiously for a long moment. Hermione twitched her ears back in awkwardness as they were inspected.

"Yes, I see it now. We offer you a humble apology, Veela. We meant no offence."

"I accept your apology and ensure you zat no offence was taken."

"This beast is your mate?" Hermione looked over to a black-coated Centaur. Without needing prompting, she quickly shifted out of her fur and stepped closer to Fleur, the cold air around them quickly becoming apparent to her.

"Yes, Herdsman, I am." She stated proudly, using the same term as Fleur. She did not want to offend these Centaurs, but was unsure of how to refer to them. Hermione just hoped that Fleur knew what she was doing.

"Fascinating." The brown coat muttered as he walked around them. "You do not seem like one of the Magical Skin-Changers, yet your technique is similar."

"No, 'erdsman, she is a Being known as a Kanaima. Zey are not native to zese woods." Fleur brushed her hand against Hermione's arm reassuringly.

Suddenly, a spotted Centaur said something in a gruff language that caused the brown coat to step back a few paces. An argument of sorts was then exchanged between the two (with a few others joining in) before the spotted Centaur huffed and galloped off into the forest.

During all of this, Fleur and Hermione remained perfectly still, not wanting to intrude or disrupt the Centaurs in anyway. Hermione couldn't remember the last time she had been this tense while meeting somebody (her first encounter with Maxime comes close). She had a feeling that if she made one wrong move, this entire meeting could turn sour.

"Forgive us, Veela. Jorah was out of line with his judgement." The brown coat stepped forward once more. "I go by the name Firenze and these are my Brothers; Bane, Agar, and Magnus. We welcome you to our Forest."

"But we are curious as to why you are here." The black coat (which had nodded briefly when the name Bane was mentioned) stepped forward.

"Well met, 'erdsmen." Fleur quickly bowed in greeting before continuing. "We are part of zee Beauxbatons delegation and were told zat we and our Sisters were free to explore parts of zee Forest. We wanted to meet your 'erd and discuss were zee boundaries were so zat we did not accidently cross zem."

Agar (a brown coated Centaur with white socks) snorted something to which the other Centaurs laughed on.

Firenze quickly silenced them before turning to her and Fleur once more. "Yes, our friend Hagrid informed us about your arrival. While we respect this request, we ask that you only stay near the edges of the Forest; where the trees are less dense."

Agar said something else in their language which caused Firenze to shoot him a glare. Hermione couldn't help but feel she was missing something important the longer they were in the Centaurs' presence.

"May I ask a question, Firenze, while meaning no offense and only filled wiz curiosity?" Fleur held eye contact with the brown coated Centaur.

"You may, Veela, but I cannot promise that my Brothers will not take offense if the question is severe."

Hermione felt Fleur's sudden hesitation. She knew (even in her little knowledge of Centaurs) that offending one could cause more problems than they wanted to deal with at the moment. Fleur definitely needed to word her question carefully (there was no way of backing out of it, unfortunately).

Before she could push any emotion or reassurance along the Bond, Fleur squared her shoulders, "I was wondering why so little of your Forest is offered to us. Zee way 'eadmaster Dumbledore talked, I 'ad assumed zat 'ogwarts owned more zan just zee edges."

"It is because, Veela," Bane stepped forward until he was beside Firenze, "we do not recognize Hogwarts' claim on our lands." A sneer formed across his face as he gazed at them.

Magnus (a tan coated Centaur) called out, "Even then, the edge of the Forest also belongs to us. However, out of respect to Hagrid, we allow him the use this space for teaching their young foals about the different creatures of this world. This is why we allow you and your Sisters there."

Hermione quickly wondered when Hagrid started teaching Care of Magical Creatures while Fleur bowed slightly to them, "Zank you for explaining, 'erdsmen. I understand your claim and will inform my Sisters of zee boundaries you 'ave set."

"It was no problem at all. We thank you for coming to see us." Firenze bowed in return. Hermione watched as the other three Centaurs did the same before turning and galloping into the woods. Firenze cantered to the side for a moment, watching his Brothers leave before turning back to them, his demeanor changing to one of extreme urgency.

"Fleur, I must also warn you, do not allow your young foals into the woods alone. Even within the boundaries just set."

Hermione felt her heart stop as Fleur tensed up. "May I ask why?"

Firenze's face turned to one of despair as he turned to look once more in the direction his Brothers had gone. "My Herd, they are bitter with Magicals and are growing more bitter with each passing season. They have even started pushing the wolf pack out of this Forest, fearing their claim to parts of it. I fear that if your foals are left alone, my Brothers might take them."

"Why would zey do zat? We are not Magicals and we want no claim to your Forest. Zee only zing we want is somezing zat reminds us of 'ome for zee short time we are 'ere. Zat is all." Fleur growled out, the Veela rising to the surface. Hermione remained quiet, watching the young Alpha warily as she easily understood what Fleur left unsaid, 'If they do, there will be Hell to pay'.

Firenze reared up slightly and his nostrils flared, "Easy, Veela. I do not want a fight between our Races which is why I gave you this warning. Always have an Elder with your foals or not allow them in the Forest at all. I would also suggest you travel in pairs, yourselves. I do not think my Brothers will attempt anything on an Elder, but I would not risk it. This is not just for your Clan either, so please, I mean no offense. There are very few in Hogwarts at this moment that are respected enough to travel alone and remain untouched."

Hermione felt Fleur's anger rise towards the Centaurs and quickly stepped forward, "Thank you, Firenze, for your warning. We will be sure to relay your messages to our Sisters. I must ask that you try and dissuade any of your Brothers from making attempts on our Clan. We do not wish a fight either."

Firenze quickly glanced between them before nodding, "I will try my best, but can promise nothing, Feline. Please, stay safe." With a final glance towards Fleur, the Centaur turned around and raced after his Brothers.

Silence reigned in the Forest after Firenze departed, the chattering of the creatures slowly returning. Hermione quickly pulled a dark-eyed Fleur in for a hug, pushing love through their Bond all while hoping to calm the Veela down. She felt Fleur shaking with rage in her arms and immediately tightened her hold.

" _How dare them for threatening our Clan._ **"** Fleur said through clenched teeth. **"** _I will bring the entire force of the Delacour Clan down upon them if they so much as look at one of us._ **"**

Hermione remained silent, letting the Veela work through her rage. The only thing she could do was be there in support.

It was a long moment before Fleur stopped shaking and the tension left her. Hermione sighed in relief as arms came up to wrap around her. It was only then that she spoke. **"** _Come on, my Veela. Let us get out of here and back to our family._ **"**

" _I do not think I should go back into the school for a while._ **"** Fleur shook her head as they began walking. **"** _The Veela is still close and I fear that one wrong word from an innocent would set it off._ **"**

" _Shall we take the time to explore the Forest then?_ **"** Hermione leaned her head against Fleur's shoulder; slowly relaxing the more distance they put between themselves and the Centaurs.

" _Yes,_ **"** Fleur sneered, **"** _we should explore our 'set boundaries'. I have never been more insulted in all of my life. Had this been in reverse and they were visiting our lands, Grandmaman would not have hesitated in letting them into our forest. I cannot wait to write her and tell her all that has happened in such a short amount of time._ **"**

" _Do you think they will force us back?_ **"**

Fleur stopped them as the trees began to clear. Hermione could just see Hogwarts' castle ahead of them and knew that they had crossed into the area the Centaurs were talking about. _At least it is the entire edge_ , Hermione thought, _that will be of some help._

" _No, I do not think so. This is a small thing, truthfully. I am just blowing it out of proportion._ **"**

Hermione raised an eyebrow at the blonde, **"** _Am I supposed to be surprised?_ **"**

" _How dare you?!_ **"**

Hermione jumped back as Fleur lunged for her, giggling at the blonde's expression. She saw the returned grin before quickly dashing off into the woods, Fleur's playful shout echoing behind her.

-oOo-

"So…who wants to go first? Do we go first? Do you go first? How do you want to do this?"

"I zink you should go first since it will probably take longer. But, I 'ave a quick question before you begin. Where are we?"

Hermione looked around the, seemingly, cozy room. It reminded her of how she remembered the Gryffindor common room being; complete with the fireplace and red couches. What Fleur was referring to, however, is how the door to the room seemed to appear out of thin air in an abandoned hallway on the Seventh Floor.

"Oh, that's easy." Ron waved his hand dismissively, "This is the Room of Requirements or, as some call it, the Come-and-Go Room."

Hermione and Fleur waited a moment, hoping he would elaborate a bit. Once it became obvious that nothing more would be said, Hermione leaned forward. "…And?"

"And what?"

"And how did you find it?" Hermione gestured around them. "Why was it hidden? HOW was it hidden? Who created it? Was it always here? Where…"

"Woah 'Mione. Slow down." Harry gestured towards her. "In order of what I can remember. One of the previous Marauders found it and told us about it. We have no clue how or why it's hidden, a bit beyond our scope really. Yes, it has always been here, at least, since the beginning of the school because Rowena Ravenclaw is rumored to have made it."

Hermione looked quickly between Harry and Ron while Fleur sighed beside her. "It is obvious zat zis information is not important to our discussion, yes?" The boys quickly nodded. "Alright, one more question before I let you begin, is zis where zee Marauders are going to meet tomorrow?"

Harry gave them a lopsided grin while Ron laughed, "Of course not! The Room of Requirements isn't secure enough."

"We are going to be meeting in the Chamber of Secrets." Harry looked between them, his smile growing on his face.

Hermione's confusion only grew at the name. _The Chamber of Secrets? What's the Chamber of Secrets?_

Fleur simply snorted and crossed her arms, "You boz speak as if you expect us to know what zat is. Besides… Room of Requirement? Chamber of Secrets? Could you not come up wiz better names or are you just unimaginative?"

Hermione laughed at the boys' offended expressions. "Don't worry you two," she chuckled, "France's version of Diagon Alley is called the Alley of Dreams. They aren't very imaginative either." She ignored Fleur's insulted look in favor of watching Harry and Ron. "But seriously, what is the Chamber of Secrets?"

Harry and Ron gave each other a puzzled look before Ron leaned forward, "You…you really don't know what the Chamber is?"

"Yea, 'Mione. Of everybody, I'd expect you to know."

"In fact, one of the reasons that we really needed you in our Second year was because we were absolutely SURE you would know and help us figure it out."

Hermione rubbed her temples in aggravation. She searched through her memories, trying to remember if she had ever heard the term 'Chamber of Secrets' before, but came up blank. _Being around them is so exhausting._

"I really don't know, guys. Please, just tell us."

Harry sat back in his chair and crossed him arms, his brow furrowed in thought.

Ron glanced at him briefly before shrugging, "Alright. Well, the simple version of it is this. When Hogwarts was first founded, each of the four founders gave something to the school. Gryffindor gave the Sorting Hat, Ravenclaw created the Room of Requirements…"

"Which only allows students and those who mean them no harm inside." Harry spoke up.

"That is only a rumor though." Ron shrugged, "Anyways, Hufflepuff allowed a safe environment for all rejected House Elves, and Slytherin created the Chamber of Secrets."

"We found out that the Chamber of Secrets was originally intended to protect Hogwarts from invaders, but when Slytherin left, the location of the Chamber was lost."

"That is, until somebody found it 50 years ago and opened it up, commanding Slytherin's beast to wreak havoc on the school. The beast disappeared after a Muggleborn student was killed."

Hermione leaned forward, enthralled by their tale, "Who opened up the Chamber?"

Harry sneered, "A young man by the name of Tom Marvolo Riddle."

"Who is also known as Lord Voldemort." Ron said stone-faced.

"You are joking, yes?" Fleur also leaned forward, "You know zee true name of Voldemort? Why 'ave you not told anybody?"

Harry shrugged, "Who would believe us? During his War, Voldemort made such a large name for himself and people were so afraid of him that they can't even SAY 'Voldemort' anymore without freaking out. Anytime you try and talk about him, people shut you down and refuse to listen."

"However," Ron butted in, "the Marauders know and that is all that matters."

"Wow," Hermione leaned back, mulling over the story. "Wait, what does this have to do with your Second Year?"

Harry grimaced, "The Chamber was reopened and Slytherin's beast was released once more."

"Who opened it? Voldemort's dead."

"My sister did." Ron said in a small voice, head hung in shame, "Ginny opened the Chamber."

Hermione sucked in a breath while Fleur growled low in her throat. "Why is she still in school?" the blonde demanded, "Why is she not being punished?"

Ron put his head in his hands and shook his head while Harry spoke up, "She was possessed by Voldemort. Lucius Malfoy somehow gave her a diary that had an echo of Tom Riddle within it. Ginny started writing in the diary and she was slowly possessed by him."

Hermione glanced at Fleur and barely breathed, **"** _That must be the dark aura we sensed._ **"** She knew that Fleur heard her even though her mate gave no indication.

Instead, Fleur placed her hand on Ron's arm and said quietly, "She is still not alright, is she?"

Ron shook his head, his entire being radiating with despair. Harry gave Fleur a curious look, "How did you know that, Fleur?"

"You know by now zat I am Veela, yes?" She waited for them to nod before continuing, "One of our gifts is zee ability to read ozers emotions, zeir auras if you will. When we met at zee World Cup, Ginny 'ad zis dark aura around 'er and she seemed detached from everyzing. I knew zen zat somezing was wrong."

"Mum refuses to listen to us when we try and tell her." Ron finally spoke, "She won't take her to a Mind Healer and some of us are afraid that it will only get worse."

Hermione couldn't imagine the pain Ron was going through. The thought of seeing somebody you love go through something like that was unimaginable to her. Especially if there was no way for you to help them.

"Ron, per'aps you would allow me and my Sisters to see if we can 'elp 'er." Fleur stated slowly, glancing at Hermione out of the corner of her eye.

"How could you do that?"

"We…" Fleur hesitated, "…Veela, zat is, can influence zee emotions of ozers. Per'aps if we …er… encourage her to feel joy and 'appiness, zen 'er mind will 'eal on its own. I make no promises zat zis will work, but we can try if you permit us."

Hermione watched as tears of joy welled up in Ron's eyes as he nodded vigorously, "Yes! Merlin, yes. Please! Anything that you think would help, please, try it. I will do anything! I just want my little sister back."

Fleur smiled and patted his arm once more before leaning back, "Zere is no need for you to do anyzing. I will inform zee ozers when I see zem next and we will try our best to return 'er to you."

Hermione sent gratitude through their Bond and Fleur grabbed ahold of her hand in response. A smile was exchanged between the two before she turned back to Harry, "You never explained what happened when the Chamber was opened again."

Ron glanced at Harry as the Boy-Who-Lived simply sighed. He brushed a hand through his messy hair and resumed the tale. "When the Chamber was open, several Muggleborn students were petrified. Dumbledore," Harry spat the name out, "refused to send for the Mandrakes that were needed to wake them up. He claimed that the ones from Herbology class would be good enough and the students could wait."

"They weren't ready until the end of school, though." Ron said simply. "The first student was petrified within the first few months that school started."

"Zere were students 'oo spent zee entire school year petrified?" Fleur asked, horrified at the thought.

Harry nodded, "And what is worse is that neither Dumbledore nor the School Board informed any of their parents about what had happened. We didn't know at the time or we would've sent them letters ourselves. It was only in our Third Year, when the Marauders were formed, that we were told."

Fleur rubbed her forehead, whispering 'Mon Dieu', while Hermione leaned forward once more, "Is this another reason you are convinced that Dumbledore is being manipulating?"

"Of course!" Harry waved his hands about his head dramatically.

"Think about it, Hermione." Ron tapped a finger to his temple, "A secret room from the Founder's time was opened and unleashed a beast upon the school which, not only petrified students, but could've easily killed one of us. When Harry and I went down there…"

"You two went down there?!" Hermione shouted in shock.

"Of course we did!" Ron crossed his arms "We couldn't let Ginny die down there! But anyways, when we went down there, the, then, current Defense Against the Dark Arts professor…"

"Gilderoy Bloody Lockhart." Harry muttered.

"…went with us." Ron looked between the two of them, "Surely you've heard of Lockhart."

" 'e was an auzor, yes?" Fleur looked to Hermione for confirmation, "Claimed to do a lot of zings zat never made sense. Seemed sort of phony if you ask me."

"Yes, that's right." Hermione tapped her finger to her chin, "He stopped producing books…"

"A little over a year ago." Harry nodded. "That is because he accidently wiped his own memory while down in the Chamber and is now in St. Mungo's with not a clue on who he is."

"That's not really important." Ron said dismissively, "What is important is that none of this was in any of the papers. Nobody said a word of petrified students or a famous author suddenly losing his mind. There was no uproar from parents, the government. Nothing."

"It was covered up?" Hermione asked.

Harry nodded once more, "That is the only conclusion we could gather. And who had the most to lose if word got out that students were in danger?"

"Dumbledore." Fleur growled.

"Exactly." Ron pointed at them and sat back in his chair, arms crossing in triumph.

"Wait, wait, wait." Hermione rubbed her forehead in confusion, "So Dumbledore covered up the fact that a monster was roaming the halls and petrifying students, to what? Keep his job?"

"That's what we gathered, yes."

"But what happened to Slytherin's beast?" Hermione looked between the two.

"I killed it." Harry said proudly while rolling up the sleeve of his right arm, "Got a cool scar to prove it too."

Hermione and Fleur inspected the jagged scar closely, looking at the, once severe, puncture wound. Harry turned his arm over to show the matching wound on the other side, proving that whatever harmed him was long enough to go through his arm.

"What kind of beast was this?" Fleur whispered, glancing up at Harry.

The Boy-Who-Lived simply smirked at them and held out his hand, the silver band around his finger shimmering in the firelight. Hermione saw the thick coil of scales and the diamond shaped head resting on top of them. The eyes shined a bright gold (similar to how her own ring flashed) when she gently touched the band.

"Of course Slytherin's beast would be a snake." She whispered.

"Not just any snake, Hermione..." Harry said pensively

"It was a Basilisk." Fleur breathed out before leaning back in her chair, staring at the Boy-Who-Lived with wide eyes, "You killed a Basilisk? When you were twelve?"

"Yep," Harry rolled down his sleeve.

"And it bit you?"

"Eh, not really." Harry rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "I kinda rammed my arm into its tooth when I stabbed it with Gryffindor's sword. It was my own fault for not paying attention."

Hermione and Fleur were silent for a moment, staring at the Boy-Who-Lived in wonder. At the same time, they each glanced at each other before looking back to Harry.

"Let me get this straight." Hermione quickly shook her head, "You are trying to tell us, that in Second Year, a very dead Voldemort possessed eleven-year-old Ginny and forced her to open the Chamber of Secrets to release a BASILISK on the students? Then, somehow, you two found out about it…"

"The finding out about it was actually quite funny." Ron said. "We received an anonymous package after Valentine's day that contained the information about the Basilisk which is how we figured out what the beast was. We think it was Dumbledore, but can't confirm it. Anyways, the location of the Chamber was a bit harder to figure out. Imagine it. There we were, walking along the First Floor when we noticed that the entire hallway was flooded. Not only that, but we heard this immense wailing sound coming from one of the rooms so, of course we had to see what was wrong."

"Turns out, the room we walked into was an abandoned girl's lavatory and there is a ghost called Moaning Myrtle haunting it because that was where she died." Harry happily supplied.

"And, of course, Harry being the nice guy he is," Ron playfully pushed the bespectacled boy, "we stood there and talked to her."

"That's also how we came by Tom Riddle's diary."

"Ginny had thrown it and had hit Myrtle who took offense at having an object thrown at her. The flooding and wailing was her throwing a fit."

"Fast-forward a few months when the cryptic message was written saying that Ginny was going to die and we finally put all the pieces together that Myrtle was the student who was killed by Slytherin's beast 50 years ago."

"And since Harry here is a Parseltongue…"

"Wait, what?" Hermione looked towards the boy in question. "You're a Parseltongue?"

"Yea, got shunned for that all year when it came out, but people don't mention it now." Harry shrugged. "Anyways, there was a snake on the side of one of the faucets and I told it to open. That's how we found the Chamber."

Hermione simply shook her head, "Merlin, you two. How do you get into these messes?"

Harry and Ron laughed. "We're just that lucky I guess."

" 'arry." Fleur called out, gaining the three Fourth Years' attention. "I am still confused. 'ow are you not dead? Basilisks are extremely dangerous. Too dangerous for a well-trained Auror, let alone a twelve-year-old."

Harry immediately scowled, "That is because our Headmaster is a manipulative asshole. Not that I'm complaining in this case, but this is another example. He has a pet Phoenix named Fawkes. When I entered the Chamber and the Basilisk first came out, Fawkes flew in, dropping the Sorting Hat, which is how I got Gryffindor's sword by the way, and proceeded to blind the beast. After I got bit, Fawkes cried on the wound."

"And zis is an example of Dumbledore because…"

"Because," Ron butted in, "he had to have told Fawkes where to go to rescue Harry. That means that the Old Goat knew about the Chamber and the Basilisk the entire time."

Hermione hesitated for a moment, "Harry…have you had yourself tested for Magical properties?"

The confused look he gave her indicated that he had no clue what she was talking about. That, in and of itself, was rather concerning.

"Harry, Basilisk venom is not only very deadly, but it is also very magical. So magical, in fact, that when it is used in potions, and it is only used in very dark potions, it is diluted. Same for Phoenix tears. You must dilute each tear before using them."

Harry opened his mouth to say something before closing it with a snap. Hermione watched as he turned his head away in thought, mumbling something to himself that sounded like 'That explains a couple of things'.

Before she could question him, Ron butted in, "What about Basilisk blood? Does it have magical properties as well?"

"Oui…" Fleur slowly said, "Oui, it does. Probably more zan zee venom itself."

Ron 'hmm'd' before turning to the Boy-Who-Lived, "Welp, Harry. I guess that answers a couple of things."

"What things?" Hermione asked.

"Well," Harry turned back to them, running his hand through his hair before continuing, "in Third Year, we were beat up by a tree and, while Neville broke his arm, I barely had a scratch."

"Not only that, but when we were chased by Lupin, he barely left a mark on you despite knocking you down." Ron said.

"Who?" Hermione questioned.

"Oh, he was our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor in Third Year." Harry said happily, "Probably the best yet, if I do say so myself."

"He is also a werewolf." Ron shrugged at their looks. "We accidently happened to be around him when he shifted. And of course he forgot to take his Wolfsbane, so he lost control."

" 'e is addicted to Wolfsbane?" Fleur asked in horror. At their confused nods, she shook her head and elaborated, "Wolfsbane was found to be poisonous to werewolves shortly after it was created. It poisons zee beast's mind and if zey miss a dose, zee beast goes into a rage. It would be better if 'e is off zee stuff. Zat way 'e can regain control over zee beast and live in 'armony wiz it."

Harry's eyes grew large, "I didn't know werewolves could gain control of themselves during the full moon. I thought that was why Wolfsbane was created."

" 'oo told you zat?"

"Lupin did." Harry furrowed his brow. "Lupin said that he had a hard time controlling the wolf when he was younger and that it helped keep him calm"

"Well, of course zee wolf is 'ard to control during teenage years." Fleur sat back and shook her head, "Every Being, no matter whezer zey are Magical, Muggle, or Creature, 'as a 'ard time controlling zeir emotions during zat time. It is called puberty! Let me guess, zis Lupin got addicted to zee stuff while 'e was still young, yes?"

"Yea." Harry nodded his head while glancing at Ron, "As soon as it was released to the public."

"Which is why 'e is 'aving such a 'ard time now. Zee wolf was poisoned during its youz and 'as no idea what to do if not on zee stuff." Fleur turned to Hermione, "We are going to 'ave to send 'im to Clara and 'er Pack before 'e gets well." The blonde turned back to Harry and Ron, "You will tell zis Lupin to contact us and we will 'elp 'im gain control. Now, Lupin attacked you and what?"

Harry and Ron were silent for a moment ( _probably trying to understand what just happened,_ Hermione thought) before Harry shook his head. "Um…well…yea. Lupin transformed and attacked us, slashing me with his claws. Only, I barely got scratched and they didn't scar like creature wounds usually do."

"So, you more zan likely 'ave a form of Tough 'ide. Useful to 'ave, but I would still get a full read-out of my magical abilities if I were you." Fleur nodded.

"Where would I go do that?"

"Gringott's should be able to do it." Fleur tapped her chin in thought, "But you will 'ave to pay a small fee. Your Ministry can also do it, but I do not zink zat wise. If you 'ave too many abilities, zey can lock you up."

"What?! Why?"

"Because, Harry," Hermione said, "the British Ministry doesn't like those with 'creature' blood. If you have too many 'abnormal' abilities, they will call you a creature and lock you up to 'observe' you." She grimaced as she explained, remembering the talk she, Fleur, and Régine had before they left. The brunette was basically told the same thing, only warned against changing to her fur in front of people.

"That is messed up, 'Mione." Harry shook his head.

"But it makes sense, mate." Ron spoke up. "Lupin complained about not being able to find any jobs in Britain because of his furry problem. He was surprised when Dumbledore offered him the position."

Harry muttered 'True' as Fleur shook her head, "We will worry about 'arry's magical abilities later. Now, I want you to finish your tale. 'ow did you get away from Lupin?"

Harry squared his shoulders and sat up straight, suddenly serious as he stared at them, "This is the part that I need to know that I trust you two before I tell you. What I am about to say is extremely classified and if word about this escapes, then we could all be in serious trouble."

Hermione and Fleur exchanged glances. "Harry," Hermione started, "I haven't ever betrayed your secrets and I am not about to start."

"And, even zough you do not know me well, know zat I will always protect 'ermione. Since she protects your secrets, I am obliged to do zee same."

Harry was silent for a long moment, glancing between them before nodding, "Good. We were saved by Sirius Black."

"Zee murderer!?" Fleur nearly leapt from her chair. Luckily, Hermione grabbed a hold of her arm to calm her down.

"He is not a murderer." Harry glared at the blonde, his green eyes flashing. Hermione sensed danger in the air and knew that it was radiating from the boy. _Perhaps he got a little bit more from the Basilisk than just Tough Hide._

"I am sorry, 'arry. It is just…we 'ave been taught in school zat Sirius Black was a strong Voldemort supporter and zat 'e betrayed you and your parents. When 'e escaped last year, we were all worried zat 'e might come to France to 'ide."

"It's alright, Fleur. I over-reacted. It's just that…I hate when people say that about my godfather, especially when he was wrongfully accused and locked away without a trial."

"Sirius Black is your godfather?" Hermione asked, her brain working overtime to process the information given to them.

"Yep, and that's the reason he escaped. Do you remember Scabbers?" Harry suddenly asked.

With a quick glance towards Ron, Hermione nodded, "He was Ron's rat right?"

Ron grimaced and Harry shook his head, "Not really. Scabbers was actually an Animagus named Peter Pettigrew."

"Zee man zat Sirius killed?"

"Yep, the very one. Sleeping in my bed and eating out of my hand at meals." Ron shuddered.

"Anyways, the Weasley's won some Daily Prophet lottery last year and got their picture taken. Ron had Scabbers in his hands and Sirius recognized him while in Azkaban."

"How did he recognize him?" Hermione asked.

Harry grimaced, "They were Marauders together."

"So that's how you found them!" Hermione exclaimed. "I've been wondering about that since I got Silver-Tongue's letter. So, Sirius and Pettigrew started the Marauders and what?"

"Pettigrew was the one who really betrayed my parents, but blamed it on Sirius. And, for the record, it wasn't JUST Sirius and Pettigrew. My dad and Lupin were also Marauders. In the beginning, at least."

"And they didn't start the group. Sirius told us that the Marauders had been around for centuries." Ron smiled. "We were just lucky to be chosen to be in this generation's version."

"Unbelievable." Hermione shook her head. "So it's all not a hoax?"

"Of course not, 'Mione. We like to do pranks…"

"Not as much as the Twins." Harry muttered.

"…but we would never joke about something like this."

Silence reigned for a moment, allowing Hermione to process all of the information. The past two years sounded stressful for her boys and she wished she had been there to help them. _Although,_ she glanced quickly at Fleur, _I'm kind of glad that I wasn't._

"So, do you mind if I summarize everyzing? Just to make sure we 'ave all of zee information?" Fleur asked them. She waited for their conformation before beginning. "In your Second Year, a very dead Voldemort possessed a girl and opened zee Chamber of Secrets, which is where we will be 'aving zee meeting tomorrow, yes?" Two more nods. "Alright. In zis Chamber, a Basilisk 'ad lived for 'oo knows 'ow long and you, 'arry, went down and killed it. I am also assuming zat zis is zee reason zey call you 'Basilisk', yes?"

"Yep!" Harry smiled. "It also has to do with how the ring was shaped which is why Ron is called 'Rook'." Ron showed them his ring which looked like a complicated mixture of chess pieces. _The details are remarkable_ , Hermione thought as she grazed her finger over a small pawn. The rooks hidden within the mess gleamed gold for a moment.

"Why can I not see zee rings?" Fleur asked while Hermione was inspecting Ron's.

"It is because you aren't a Marauder."

"Yet I can see 'ermione's."

A glance was exchanged between Harry and Ron before Harry shrugged, "Probably because of you two being soulmates, but I don't know. You will see ours tomorrow when you get your ring."

"Speaking of which, Hermione, we are going to have to look at yours." Ron said as he withdrew his hand, "You won't gain your Marauder name until tomorrow's meeting, but we can at least get an idea."

"Marauder's name?"

"Yea, each Marauder gets a special name based on how their ring is shaped. It helps us identify each other and if we speak about somebody and we don't want people around us to overhear, we can use their Marauder name to protect them."

"Fascinating." Fleur said, tilting her head to the side, "May I continue now?"

Harry nodded while Ron simply motioned for her to continue. "Zank you. So, you killed zee Basilisk at zee end of your Second Year and in your Zird year, you 'ad to deal wiz an escaped Sirius Black and finding out zat a pet rat was actually a supposed dead man? While also dealing wiz a poisoned werewolf?"

"Eh, basically. A lot more happened in Third Year, including finding out about the other Marauders and escaping from a horde of Dementors. Stuff like that." Harry shrugged.

Hermione blinked. "A horde of Dementors?"

"Yes, a horde of Dementors." Harry grimaced. "Because of Sirius being an escaped convict, the Ministry thought it would be a good idea to send Dementors out roaming the country side. After Sirius chased Lupin away, Neville and I chased after them to see a horde of Dementors swirling over a downed Sirius. We still to this day have no clue where Lupin went, but I casted a massive Patronus that drove them away. Neville and I then gathered Sirius up and carried him to a nearby cave where we healed him."

"Neville was a part of that?"

"Yea, 'Mione! Little Neville grew up pretty quickly." Ron leaned forward in his chair. "He was the first person that we, ourselves, inducted into the Marauders. His name is 'Bearclaw'."

"Wow, I never imagined that he would step up like that." Hermione shook her head.

"Neville was zee brunette boy you sat beside last night, yes?" Fleur turned to her questioningly.

She nodded, "Yes, and I remember him being this stuttering, forgetful boy that was terrified of his own shadow. I'm glad that he is growing up. But Harry," Hermione turned to the boy, "I felt nearly a dozen pulses when I first put the ring on. There are you, Ron, Neville, Sirius, Lupin, Pettigrew…"

"Pettigrew is NOT a Marauder." Harry growled.

"…I'm sorry… and Silver-Tongue, who you still haven't told me who that is."

"They want their identity to remain secret until tomorrow." Harry smirked.

"Ok? But that's still only six people. Who are the rest?"

Ron smirked at her, "Sorry, 'Mione. You'll find out the rest tomorrow. Just remember to keep an open-mind though, ok?"

Hermione simply shook her head and leaned back in her chair, "Alright. Be pensive then." Harry and Ron simply laughed at her.

"So," Harry clapped his hands together, "that's basically our story. There are a few more things here and there, but really they aren't important and you'll probably figure out more at the meeting. But, it's your turn now, Hermione. What happened that caused the Delacour's to adopt you?"

Hermione's happy mood immediately turned sour. She clenched her hands together as a lump formed in her throat, trying to stop the growl that threatened to form. Worry was sent through the Bond as Fleur reached out and covered her hands with her own.

The brunette spared a quick glance at her mate before turning to see the worried looks of Harry and Ron.

"It will be alright, 'Mione." Harry said softly.

"No matter what happened, we will always be here for you." Ron said, reaching forward to lightly touch her knee.

She gave a small smile (it felt more like a grimace) before taking a deep breath, "The Granger's abandoned me during our First Year."

Hermione looked at the boys' stunned expressions, waiting to see if they were going to say anything. When she realized that they were basically frozen in place, she continued, "When I found out, I sold my school stuff and bought a ticket to France to try and stay with my grandmother. When I got there, I was told that she had passed away sometime in April." She felt tears well in her eyes as she thought of the old woman. The pouring of love and reassurance through the Bond was the only thing that stopped the tears from falling. "After that, I was basically on my own for a few months. I…I had to steal food and money and I lived under a pier by the beach."

She couldn't stop from turning her hand over and gripping Fleur's hand, smiling as the blonde immediately laced their fingers together. "Sometime in October, Fleur and her family found me. She knew that we were soulmates and they accepted me with open arms. I've been with them ever since."

Silence was all that remained after she finished talking, the soft crackling of the fireplace the only source of noise. Hermione closed her eyes, afraid that the boys would judge her for what had happened. It surprised her when she felt a set of arms wrap around her shoulders.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione." Harry whispered into her hair, "I knew that it had to be something bad, but I had thought that the Granger's had died. Not that they…abandoned you."

"Have you found them?" Ron suddenly asked, rage clear in his voice. Hermione glanced up only to see that he was looking at Fleur.

"Non, we 'ave not," Fleur said just as determined, "and it 'as not been for a lack of trying. Grandmaman is a 'igh ranking official in zee Ministry and not even 'er and all of 'er connections can find zem. Wherever zey are 'iding', zey are doing it well."

"We will have our sources begin looking." Ron nodded. "They need to pay for what they put our sister through."

"You 'ave my full support, but, if you find zem, I demand zat you tell me where zey are first before you do anyzing. I 'ave first dibs."

"Fine by me."

"Enough you two," Hermione couldn't help but smile at the two. Leave it to them to discuss who would go after the Granger's first. "Please, I do not wish to discuss them anymore."

"Alright, 'Mione. We won't ever bring up the Granger's again." Harry squeezed her shoulders one more time before sitting back down. Suddenly, Ron's guts growled quite loudly throughout the room. Fleur just looked at the sheepish redhead while Hermione bust out laughing.

"What?" The slowly reddening boy asked, "It's nearly suppertime."

"Oh! The Tournament." Harry leapt out of his seat. "I nearly forgot about the Tournament! They will choose the champions tonight."

"Oui, which should be soon. So, are we done 'ere?" Fleur stood up and stretched, "We 'ave sat 'ere for 'ours now."

"I just have one more question, Hermione." The brunette turned to Ron, who had leaned forward once more in his chair. "How did you get that scar around your wrist?"

Hermione immediately wrapped her hand around the faded mark, feeling the echo of the burning of the blocker that remained. She and Fleur had discussed whether they should tell the boys about Hermione's fur or not. The brunette had wanted to, but her mate had insisted on secrecy. Fleur was terrified that Harry and Ron would turn on her if they found out (which she thought was silly, especially now that she knew they accepted this Lupin who was a werewolf), but she agreed to not mention it.

So, she simply shrugged and told them the excuse they made up, "It was a bout of accidental magic when I found out about the Granger's. The bracelet I had on heated up and left the mark."

Both boys looked at her for a long moment before Harry shrugged, "Alright. We were worried that it was something bad. It looks like it was rather nasty."

"It was." Hermione grimaced. She did not like lying to them, but understood Fleur's desire for it.

She just hoped that Fleur was wrong about them.

-oOo-

The Halloween feast was slowly dying down. Fleur was right in thinking that she could not handle another large feast (she had grimaced when Ron had attacked the food like a starving animal). Luckily though, nobody seemed to mind that she didn't eat (except for the odd look from Hermione) as they all enjoyed the festivities themselves.

She had laughed when Ron and Harry had looked wide-eyed at Hermione's ring. They had fingered the long, sharp fangs and then stared at her mate in wonder, probably curious as to why Hermione's magic had created such a violent object. The girl had been bashful during the inspection, but had just shrugged off their comments, claiming that she hoped they would be able to explain it. Fleur was happy (even though she knew it upset Hermione) that the brunette listened to her and hid her fur from the boys. Hopefully, in time, Hermione could show them her true form, but that would not happen until Fleur knew that she could trust them completely.

Suddenly, a series of claps rang through the Great Hall and the tables cleared. Everybody directed their attention to Dumbledore, whom had stood up and was slowly making his way around the teacher's table. The Goblet of Fire was still sat in front of the table, swirling and pulsing with ancient magic that made Fleur's Veela crawl to the surface.

"Well, students, guests, professors," Dumbledore smiled out at them, "it is now time for the Goblet to tell us who will be our champions!"

The Great Hall cheered as the Goblet flared a bright blue. Amélie elbowed her and quietly whispered, **"** _I hope Edmond is the one chosen._ **"**

Fleur turned to her, ignoring Dumbledore as he spoke of rules and expectations, **"** _Why? He is good, yes, but not as good as Inés._ **"**

" _I bet 5 Galleons on him being chosen for Beauxbatons. He better get it._ **"**

The Great Hall roared as Dumbledore announced Viktor Krum's name as the Durmstrang champion. Fleur rolled her eyes as she heard somebody (that sounded suspiciously like Ron) shout 'No surprise there'. _Of course it was not a surprise,_ she sneered at the Durmstrang boy making his way to the front, _anybody could tell that Krum was Karkaroff's favorite. The others did not stand a chance._

She had been all for cooperating and being friendly with the Durmstrang delegation (a lot of her Sisters were interested in the boys after all). She had even been planning on introducing her Clan to them. However, that was all before she saw Krum and a few others staring at her Sisters ( **at Hermione** , the Veela screeched) like toys to be played with last night. After that, Fleur did not care what happened to the lot. The simple fact that Krum was chosen as Champion made her hate him more than the rest.

The students grew silent once more as the Goblet swirled with magic. Fleur heard Amélie whispering **'** _Please_ **'** over and over again, as the parchment shot out of the Goblet and into Dumbledore's hands. She could not help the smirk that came to her face as she leaned over and whispered. **"** _That was a stupid bet to make, Amélie. Obviously it will be…_ **"**

"Fleur Delacour."

The crowd cheered once more while it felt like ice water rushed down her spine. Fleur barely registered the horrified looks around her as she quickly looked up to see Dumbledore watching her expectantly, an eyebrow raised as he held a bright blue piece of parchment. She felt a massive amount of fear rush down the Bond and turned to a wide-eyed Hermione sitting beside her.

"Fleur…"

"I'm sorry." Dumbledore called out once more, "But there is a Fleur Delacour here, yes?"

Fleur closed her eyes to calm herself as she slowly stood up and walked to the front. She heard a few whispers over the loud cheering and knew what they were saying.

"Veela."

"A Veela competing in the Tournament."

"Illegal."

The blonde ignored them as she passed by a smiling Dumbledore, trying to think of how her name got entered. She had been with Hermione all night and all morning and then with Harry and Ron for the rest of the day. Surely she can prove that she herself did not do this.

Just as she passed through the door behind them, Fleur glanced towards the professors and immediately knew who had submitted her name, a scowl forming on her face as the door slammed behind her.

-oOo-

 _Breathe._ _Just keep breathing._

These were the thoughts that kept running through Hermione's mind as she watched her mate, her Veela, her beloved Fleur walk through the ante-chamber of the Great Hall.

 _Champion. She was chosen as Champion._ Hermione put her head in her hands, her throat closing up as panic rose once more. _She is going to be facing dangers and imprisonment and there's nothing I can do._

" _Maya! Maya, listen to me._ **"** A voice said, but Hermione ignored it. All of her thoughts were on her mate. How Fleur could be imprisoned. How she could be killed.

Hands suddenly gripped her shoulders and shook her. "Hermione! Snap out of it." Ron whispered harshly, "It will be ok! We will figure this out. Together."

"She was chosen, Ron." Hermione mumbled, "She's a Veela and she was chosen as Champion for the Tournament. An international, competitive tournament."

"So? Who cares? We will help her get through all of this and she will win. Trust me."

Hermione shook her head as tears streamed over her cheeks. _He doesn't understand._

"Ron, was it?" Amélie said from across the table. Hermione placed her head in her hands once more as the redheaded boy turned to the Veela. "You do not understand." She hissed through clenched teeth, "What just 'appened is ILLEGAL. Fleur could go to jail over zis."

"What?!" Ron exclaimed.

Hermione tuned out Amélie's whispered explanation as she felt magic rise through the air once more. Cedric Diggory had already been chosen as the Hogwart's Champion (she only knew that by the celebrating and chanting Hufflepuff table) and Dumbledore was announcing when the first Task would take place. He wasn't watching the, once more, swirling Goblet.

"Oh shit," she heard Harry mutter. "Oh Merlin, please. No. Not this year. Please."

Dread formed a tighter knot in her gut as another piece of parchment shot out of the Goblet into the hands of the surprised Headmaster. She watched him read the name wide-eyed and look towards them. It was then that she heard Harry's head thump down on the table.

"Harry Potter?"

The Great Hall went silent and unanimously turned to stare at them. Hermione also turned to see the Boy-Who-Lived cussing up a storm while trying to slide beneath the table and disappear from view.

"HARRY POTTER!"

"Bloody Hell!" the bespectacled boy shouted as he surged to his feet. "I didn't enter the bloody Tournament and I refuse to accept this. You cannot make me compete."

Snape (of all people) then stood up and glared at him, "Get over here boy! Stop making a fool out of yourself."

"No!"

Hermione watched as the Potion Master sneered before marching to them and forcefully grabbing Harry's arm. A few people gasped when Harry growled low in his throat and ripped his arm away, glaring at the older man. The two stared at one another for a long moment (Hermione shuddered as the dangerous feeling from before came back) before Harry lowered his head with a huff and stomped towards the door, his footsteps echoing through the quiet Great Hall. Everybody silently watched the Boy-Who-Lived as he walked by with Snape and Dumbeldore following closely behind.

Hermione felt more tears form as her brother also disappeared from her view.

-oOo-

Fleur stood before the large, bay window, staring out at the Forbidden Forest longingly. What she would give to go back to that morning when she and Hermione were chasing each other through the trees. She closed her eyes and leaned against the window panes, trying to swallow the lump in her throat and ignore her mate's intense fear. There was no way she could calm the girl down. Fear was creating a knot in her belly as well.

Cedric Diggory had been excitedly chatting about the Tournament since he had entered the room. Of the three of them (Viktor had been staring into the fireplace since she arrived), he seemed the most excited. Poor boy was either too stupid to realize that something was going on or was too narcissistic to care. Fleur snurled up her nose and pointedly stared out of the window as he talked once more about how honored he was to be chosen.

The door opening once more had her quickly glancing up. She was hoping that once the Tournament officials entered the room, she could explain the situation and they could redraw a Beauxbatons Champion. Hopefully, they would not blame her too much and instead investigate Maxime for this treachery.

When Harry walked through the doors, however, she understood the last surge of fear she had felt from Hermione.

" 'arry…" Fleur started to say, walking to the red-faced Boy-Who-Lived.

Just before she reached him, the door opened once more and Ludo Bagman entered the room followed by the schools' headmasters, a greasy looking man, and Mr. Crouch.

"Can you believe it?" Mr. Bagman exclaimed, "Four Champions! Oh the excitement. The drama."

Fleur quickly glanced towards the scowling Harry and understood what had happened. Her thoughts immediately went out to Hermione, trying to send reassurance through the Bond. _We will figure this out, my love,_ Fleur thought with determination, _they will see. They must. There will be no way either of us will be allowed to compete in this dangerous and stupid Tournament. And when they do, when these Magicals see and reverse this, we are all packing up and heading home. Apollo curse them for this._

"He's right, Dumbledore. The boy must compete."

Fleur glanced up in shock at a sweating Barty Crouch. The man was looking anywhere but her or Harry and that caused her eyes to narrow.

"And vat of the Veela?" Karkaroff spat out. "Surely she should be locked up for entering her name."

Fleur began to open her mouth to explain the situation when she felt her muscles lock up. _What the Hell?_ She raged in her mind. The Veela thrashed against the invisible bonds, trying desperately to be set free.

"She is not full-Veela, Karkaroff." Madame Maxime stated. The woman walked around Fleur and placed her hands on her shoulders, pushing down slightly as Fleur managed to twitch her arm.

 **How dare she?!** The Veela screamed, raking its claws up and down the bonds, **That stupid Half-Giantess. I will rip her apart and happily leave the remains for the rats!**

Fleur promised it that, if it got them out of this, she would allow it that action.

"Vat do you mean, Maxime?" Karkaroff stepped forward, lewdly looking her up and down. Fleur felt her skin crawl at the man's gaze and told the Veela that it could tear him apart as well once they were free.

" 'er grandmozer was zee Veela and she married a Witch. 'er mozer zen married a Wizard. Zerefore, Fleur 'ere is only a quarter-Veela, not a full-blooded one."

 **I will show you a quarter-Veela, you half-Giantess bitch.**

"Of course." Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling as he turned to look at Bagman and Crouch, "Since that's the case, everything is perfectly legal. We have our four champions and there is nothing we can do differently. Bagman, would you like to give them the instructions for the First Task."

"Of course, of course." Fleur watched as Bagman took a deep breath before facing the four of them, "In a few weeks, we will have the Weighing of the Wands. This is to show that your wands are in full working order and there is no funny business. The First Task will occur on the 24th of November. I cannot give you any information on what you will face, but just know that it will be exciting." Bagman clapped his hands eagerly.

"Remember you four," Dumbledore frowned at them, "you all stand alone in this Tournament. You each must prepare alone, train alone, and fight alone." Fleur felt his gaze linger on her for a minute before moving on. After a moment of tense silence, the Headmaster smiled and spread his arms, "However, I want you to make friends during this. The entire point of the Tournament is for international cooperation and for making friends with each other. Now, you are free to leave and I will see you all on the morning of the 24th."

Fleur remained bewitched as she watched Krum and Diggory leave the room. Harry spared her a parting glance (she could tell that he was desperate to talk to her) before Bagman dragged him out of there as well, whispering excitedly about the Tournament. The rest of the Wizards left the room without a glance until it was only her and Maxime. Alone. In the room together.

She hoped the woman was stupid enough to release the enchantment.

" _Listen, Fleur._ **"** Maxime whispered, **"** _I know you are upset, but you must understand. You have the best chance on beating this Tournament. None of the other students could have done it. Only you. Just keep up the illusion that you are a quarter-Veela and everything will be okay. You will not be imprisoned and nothing will happen to your mate. Alright?_ **"**

The Veela screamed as the Half-Giantess threatened Hermione. Fleur felt her teeth grind together and her hands twitch as the enchantment slowly (too slowly) wore off. She glared up at the woman with (assuredly) dark eyes when Maxime walked in front of her. The blonde felt the Veela beginning to break free and felt the tell-tale itch of feathers about to emerge.

" _I know you will do what is right._ **"** Maxime told her, **"** _You always do._ **"** The woman nodded once, patting her on the shoulder, before turning around and walking out of the room.

As the Half-Giantess left, the enchantment finally broke and Fleur and the Veela screamed their rage after her.

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

 **AN:** Alright, here's the deal. I know these past few chapters have been mostly dialogue (some very pointless dialogue people have pointed out), but I feel its necessary. Last chapter I wanted to give a brief (yea I know it wasn't very brief at all but oh well) overview of what happened to Harry and Ron in Years 2 and 3. Some of you thought it was rather unnecessary and some of you thought it was great. I thought I had to explain these things because people asked about them earlier in the story and I didn't want to forget about their questions. So, sorry if you didn't like it, but oh well, I wanted to get it out of the way.

The reason this chapter is heavy with dialogue (which also explains why it is so long) is because its the Marauders meeting. I find that with multiple people, there needs to be more dialogue and less action in some parts (duh) which is why Hogwarts has been hardly nothing but dialogue (for now) while the earlier chapters were action filled. I'm hoping to even out the balance next chapter, but I haven't started on it yet so its just a slim hope.

Which brings me to my third point. I recently acquired a very small kitten (yay!) and she is taking up 1000% of my attention (I'm actually typing this one handed as she is fast asleep in my arms). Not only that, but school is coming to a close which means everybody is trying to pack an exam in before finals. Therefore, nobody be alarmed if next chapter is a little late. I'll try and work on it as much as possible, but my schedule has been thrown off severely.

Let me go on a little rant (I don't mean to be mean but its been a long day) and say this; one of my guests (rather loudly lol) asked why Fleur was so easily frozen by a silently casted enchantment. My reason is this: Because I wanted her to be. That's really it. I mean, I could argue with you and say that half of the things in canon doesn't make any sense yet its still canon, but that would be stupid. I could also say that since Maxime was a (previously) trusted ally of the Veela nation, the elder Veela had taught her a spell to subdue younger Veela when they get out of control (hormones and all). There are a bunch of ways I could explain and justify my reasoning, but I like my earlier reasoning the best. I wanted her to be subdued that easily and it was part of my script. That's all.

Now (last thing I swear), I want you all to remember that, in this story, Hermione was only at Hogwarts and around the main cast for her First Year. She hadn't met a lot of people, hadn't made many enemies, hadn't explored the castle in depth. If some things seem off kilter to you during this chapter, its because you're still thinking about Books 2-7. Erase all that. I've (damn near completely) diverged from the main story and the canon characters do not apply here. I'm still using the same outline of the plot, but small details (such as characters) are different.

Thought I'd warn you.

 **Disclaimer:** Didn't own anything then, don't own anything now. Sorry.

-xXx-

" **That must be the reason all of the Years came."**

" **Why do you say that?"**

" **Think about it Amélie. If this was the Giantess's plan all along, she knew that there would be no way that I would leave Hermione behind."**

" **So, by ensuring that Hermione could come…"**

" **Which she could only do by inviting all of the Years without being suspicious."**

"… **then she knew you would come and would be chosen as Champion."**

Fleur chomped down angrily on her piece of toast, glaring at every Hogwarts and Durmstrang student that passed them. It was the morning after the Champions were chosen ( _after I was chosen_ , she thought bitterly) and the rage had still not fully left her.

She had been slightly embarrassed with the fit she threw after the enchantment had worn off last night. A mixture of fire and spells were thrown at every surface until the room was completely demolished. Fleur felt sorry for destroying countless trophies and pictures, but she did not regret releasing the Veela rage.

No, her only regret was that Maxime had already left the room.

" **Fleur…does Maxime not realize how dangerous this could be?"** Amélie (the only Beauxbatons student awake besides her) asked quietly.

Fleur just sneered, **"I do not think she cares."**

" **What about her job? Surely she realizes that if word gets out that she illegally entered a student with creature blood into a competitive tournament that she will be fired."**

" **I do not think she cares about that either. She did not tell me her reasoning behind entering me into this stupid thing, only that I was the only one who could win."**

" **So she cares more for winning than the safety of her students?"** Amélie shook her head, **"That is messed up."**

Silence reigned between them as more and more students entered the Great Hall. Fleur could not help herself from glancing up each time the door opened, afraid that Aurors would burst in at any moment and take her away.

" **Have you written the letter to Régine yet?"**

" **Apollo, help me."** Fleur rubbed her forehead in exasperation. **"No, not yet. I was not in the mood for much writing last night."**

" **Is that why Hermione is not up with us?"** A smirk was directed her way.

Fleur nodded with a sigh, **"I am just happy that she is a creature herself. I know that if she was simply a Magical or, worse yet, a Muggle, I would have scared her. Every day, I become more grateful to Apollo for sending her to me as early as he did. I do not know what I would have done last night if she had not been there."**

" **She nearly had a panic attack after you went through that door. It got worse when Harry Potter's name was drawn. The redheaded boy and I tried to calm her down, but I fear that it all fell on deaf ears. I am sure she appreciated your attentions as much as you did."**

" **I know. I just wish I had been able to calm her down before then, but I was worried myself that they would send in British Aurors and take me away. I am just happy that neither Dumbledore nor Crouch called out the Giantess's lie."**

" **I still cannot believe she claimed you were a quarter-Veela."** Amélie scoffed into her coffee. **"As if such a thing exists."**

" **Right? The entire Veela race would have become extinct long ago if half and quarter-Veela were such a thing."** Fleur shook her head as she took a drink. **"Magicals are truly ignorant if they think that."**

" **You have never said a truer statement, my friend."**

Fleur smiled at a few Beauxbaton students who came into the Great Hall and sat down along the Gryffindor table. She had been lucky when none of the Seventh Years blamed her for being chosen. They all knew that she had nothing to do with it (and that she wanted nothing to do with it) and promised to help her in any way they could. No, they knew who was to blame and all of them were currently planning their revenge. Fleur could not wait to see what they came up with.

" **Amélie,"** Fleur waited for her friend to look up at her before leaning forward and whispering, **"I do not know how to write to Grandmaman. I have good information that says owls going to and from Hogwarts are sometimes interfered with. I am afraid that anything I write will not reach its destination."**

Amélie took a bite as she pondered this, chewing slowly before nodding, **"You are sure that this information is accurate?"** Fleur nodded her head. **"Do not worry then. Write the letter and give it to me. I will make sure it is delivered."**

" **You have always been good at hiding things."**

Amélie gave her a toothy grin, **"It is a gift."**

A short while passed before Amélie spoke again, **"What do you two have planned for today?"**

" **Hermione wants to show me around the castle and meet some more of her friends. Apparently, there are a bunch of secret passageways in the corridors that are hidden behind paintings."** Fleur shrugged, **"Would be good to know the castle we are going to be staying in."**

" **Hmm…if you find anything useful, let me know."**

" **Of course. What about you? What are you going to do?"**

Amélie sighed deeply, **"I might as well go and explore the Forest. See if I cannot antagonize some of the Centaurs."** All of the older Veela (for which there was only a handful) had been angry with Firenze's warning, but none more so than Amélie. Her younger sister, a sweet First Year named Jolie, had also come with them to Hogwarts and Amélie saw this warning as a personal threat. She and the two Seventh Year and three Fifth Year Veela had decided then and there that they would see if the warning had any merit. Fleur had not felt the need to stop them from planning.

" **I did not hear that as Alpha. But, as a concerned friend, I must warn you to not get caught. We do not want a war to break out."**

" **If you are afraid of that, then you do not know me well enough."**

"Hello, Fleur…er…Amélie, was it?"

The two Veela looked up to see Harry and Ron just starting to sit down at the table. The redheaded boy grunted a greeting before stuffing his face while Harry just looked exhausted.

"Bonjour, 'arry, Ron. I 'ope zis morning is going better for you zan last night." Fleur actively looked away from the disgusting display and focused on the black-haired boy.

Harry just sneered, "Depends on what you define 'better' as. Half of the Gryffindor's think I entered the Tournament, the other half think somebody did it for me. Nobody believes me when I say that I don't want to be in the Tournament and everybody is wishing me good luck." He motioned around at the Hogwarts students who were glaring in their direction, "On the other hand, the rest of Hogwarts hates me because they think I stole the spotlight from Cedric."

"Bloody prat." Ron mumbled

"So, yea. Just another typical day in the life of the Boy-Who-Lived." Harry sighed dejectedly before looking around in confusion. "Where's Hermione? I figured she'd be with you."

Fleur ignored Amélie's smirk and simply said, "She was too tired zis morning to get up and join me for breakfast. I will go wake 'er once we are done."

Ron immediately began choking on his food while Harry stared at her in confusion, absent-mindedly pounding the redhead on the back. "She was too tired?"

"Oui, very tired." Fleur raised her eyebrow at the red-faced Ron who refused to meet her eye.

"Huh…" Harry shrugged and began piling his plate, "Alright, well, I guess it's just us then."

Amélie laughed at the two Fourth Years and began talking to them about Hogwarts castle and the secrets behind the paintings. Harry was more than happy to answer all of her questions, even offering to take her on a tour sometime. Fleur discretely tapped the Veela on the leg, giving her a significant look when their eyes met. The redhead gave a smile in return and continued her chat with the Boy-Who-Lived.

Suddenly, the doors to the Great Hall opened and Maxime strolled through, her shoulders back and head held high. A few of the younger year Beauxbaton students leapt to their feet which caused some of the Hogwarts students to laugh. What caused the Headmistress to pause and look on in confusion was when none of her older or Veela students jumped to their feet as well.

When the Giantess dared to meet her gaze, Fleur could not help the growl that escaped. Her skin started to crawl the longer the woman stared at her. The noise of the Great Hall slowly faded, her heartbeat pounding in her ears. The Veela inside readied itself, letting her know that any of its strengths were ready to be called on in a moment's notice. She just needed to tell it when.

A sudden kick to her shin snapped her out of her rage. The noise of hundreds of chattering students returned and the ringing in her ears slowly faded. She looked up briefly to see Maxime shake her head and resume walking towards the table, a little less confident than before.

Fleur sent a grateful look towards Amélie before standing up. "I am sorry, I need to go."

"Everything alright, Fleur?" Harry asked.

She glanced at the Giantess once more before nodding. "I will be fine. I just cannot remain 'ere while an enemy is present."

Harry's eyes hardened, remembering her rushed explanation last night of who entered her name, "I understand. At least you know who did it. I am constantly looking over my shoulder to find my own enemy."

" _Yes, there is that._ **"** Fleur muttered before shaking her head. "I will see you boz later."

The boys and Amélie said there goodbyes and Fleur quickly strolled out of the Great Hall, her hands flexing as she tried to get rid of the ache of talons.

The Veela did not calm completely until after she had passed through the carriage doorway and began making her way to her room. When she reached her door, exhaustion hit her and Fleur felt a headache begin to form behind her eyes.

She had not been lying when she said that Hermione had been too tired to join her for breakfast (she was surprised that she had not passed out from exhaustion as well). The Veela had raged long into the night and for most of the morning, keeping both her and Hermione up as it refused to calm down long enough to sleep. After multiple attempts to exhaust it, they had given up sometime after the sun rose. Hermione had passed out almost immediately when Fleur told her to go to sleep. Unfortunately for the blonde, she had still felt restless and had gotten up and dressed to go for a walk. She had been lucky when she had found Amélie already up and plotting on the Centaurs to keep herself distracted.

A loving smile formed on her face as she opened the door to see the sleeping saber tooth sprawled out on the bed. _Hermione must have shifted after I was gone_ , Fleur thought fondly. She could not take her eyes off of the big cat as she sat on the edge of the bed and reached a hand out to slowly caress the furry head, moving her hand down to release some of the fur trapped behind the collar.

Hermione's head immediately shot up and she groaned, ears twitching, with her eyes still closed. Fleur chuckled as she felt some of the calm from sleep fade to confusion and then to love as the saber tooth moved to bump against her.

" _Are you ready to get up and face the day, my lioness?_ **"**

Another groan was her only response. Hermione shuffled forward, eyes still closed, and threw one of her paws across the blonde's lap, nuzzling into her stomach briefly before laying her head down. Fleur smiled as she heard humming.

" _I am going to guess that that is a no, then._ **"**

She let out a huff as Hermione rose up and laid her massive head against her chest, pushing until Fleur was lying on the bed. The saber tooth moved until she was laying half on top of her, holding her down, and chuffed lightly before laying her head across Fleur's chest.

Fleur felt a calm feeling being pushed along the Bond, Hermione's way of urging her to sleep, and could not help but smile slightly. **"** _Alright, but only for a little bit. I do want to see Hogwarts and we do not know when the Marauders are going to meet._ **"**

A small chuff was her response and Fleur lovingly raked her hands through the thick fur, her eyes growing heavy as she focused on the humming of her mate.

-oOo-

" _I can see myself hating this school._ **"**

Hermione chuckled at the blonde's complaining and leaned against the railing, waiting on the moving staircase to return. They had been touring the castle since two and Hermione was just now dragging Fleur up to show her Gryffindor Tower. Harry and Ron had told her that they would meet her there around six to allow them inside. After that, it was off to dinner and then to the Marauders' meeting. She could hardly wait.

" _It takes some getting used to, but all in all, it is not too bad._ **"**

" _Says you,_ **"** Fleur huffed, lightly bumping their shoulders together as she too leaned against the railing. Hermione watched as she gazed up at the constantly moving staircases. **"** _It does not make sense to me. With Beauxbatons, every room, every corridor has a purpose. There are no abandoned hallways or forgotten classrooms. This entire castle is just a huge maze to ensure that the students and anybody who dares to visit gets lost._ **"**

Hermione chuckled as the staircase finally moved back into position and they started to ascend. She heard a multitude of paintings talking about the rudeness of foreigners and how if the blonde did not like it, then she should leave.

Personally, Hermione thought her mate's ramblings were rather entertaining.

" _And do not even get me started on the layout._ **"** Fleur continued. Hermione could imagine her arms waving above her head dramatically. **"** _There are times that I do not know whether I am going up or down. Once, I thought we were on the Second floor, but no. We somehow managed to get on the Fifth without climbing any of these ridiculous stairs. And how did we do that?_ **"** Fleur glared at a painting that scoffed at her, **"** _We entered a painting and DESCENDED a staircase! How in Merlin's name does that make sense?_ **"**

Hermione giggled as they were forced to pause at another landing. She had been so happy that Harry had given her a list of all of the secret passageways that they had found (her own knowledge of them was severely limited after all). His descriptions of the paintings and their locations had been detailed enough that she had been able to find them with little to no problem. The results had been completely worth it.

" _And then! Then there was the passageway with a 'trick step'? Why the Hell is there a trick step on a majorly used staircase?!_ **"** Fleur shook her head as they finally reached the Seventh floor, **"** _This entire school is ridiculous, Maya. Trying to hurt its students and get them lost all at the same time._ **"**

" _You know,_ "Hermione finally spoke up, **"** _We could have some fun in those abandoned hallways. There are a multitude of unused classrooms and broom closets that are just waiting to be found._ **"**

She giggled under her breath as she felt excitement creep along the Bond. Right as they came to a stop in front of the Fat Lady, arms crept around her waist and firm breasts pressed tightly into her back.

" _You come up with the best ideas, my love._ **"** She sighed as lips pressed against her neck, **"** _I suddenly find the idea of getting lost in this castle quite fun._ **"**

"Hey you guys!"

Fleur let loose of her as they turned to see a smiling Harry and a bright, red-faced Ron walking towards them. Hermione couldn't help but shake her head at the fact that Ron refused to meet their eyes, opting instead to stare intensely at the wall, the floor, the ceiling…

"So, Fleur, what did you think? Hogwarts is pretty cool, huh?" _Harry seems like an excited little boy for some reason,_ Hermione thought in amusement.

"It will take some getting used to." Fleur simply said, "But, I am sure after a couple of weeks, I will know it like zee back of my 'and."

"Yea, it doesn't take long." Harry turned to the Fat Lady (who did not look in Hermione and Fleur's direction either) and said 'Balderdash'. The Fat Lady looked at him disapprovingly before sighing and opening the door.

"Did Hermione ever tell you of the time that Professor McGonagall threatened to transfigure me and Ron into a map and a pocket watch for being late to her class?" Harry asked as they stepped into the common room.

"No, she did not." Hermione watched as Fleur gazed around the room in amazement. There were only a few of the younger Gryffindors currently occupying the couches in front of the fireplace (they had briefly glanced at them before returning to their work) so they were left undisturbed.

"Maya, I like zis room." Fleur walked over to touch one of the hanging tapestries, "It is almost like a room out of zat Muggle fairytale you love. You know. Zee one wiz zee round table and a sword embedded into a stone?"

"You mean the stories about King Arthur?"

"Oui, zose." Fleur looked out of the window at the base of the stairs. "It is medieval, but not in a gaudy way."

"Yea, well," Ron finally spoke up, "the castle was reportedly built sometime in the 8th century and nobody wanted to change anything too much."

Fleur turned and smiled at the three Fourth Years, "Well, I like it. A rather comforting change from zee white and blue marble of Beauxbatons. A bit darker zan what we are used to, but in an interesting way."

At Harry and Ron's confused look, Hermione decided to elaborate, "The majority of Beauxbatons is made of marble and white stone. Fairy lights float along the corridors which makes everything have like, an enchanted glow to it." Hermione shrugged, "Imagine Ancient Greek structures and that's basically what Beauxbatons looks like."

Harry nodded in understanding while Ron just looked confused still. Before the silence got awkward, Ron eventually shrugged, "Whatever you say, Hermione. I would recommend that you and your lot get warmer clothes though. It's going to get a lot draftier as winter comes and I'm sure you all don't want to keep casting Warming Charms."

Hermione laughed as Fleur scowled, "Non, we do not. Nobody warned us about zee weazer conditions before we came so we are now suffering for it."

"You didn't tell them, Hermione? I figured either you or Maxime would mention how cold it would be, especially since Maxime arrived with a fur coat."

"I honestly didn't remember." Hermione rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly.

"And zee Giantess," Fleur growled the name out, "always wears outlandish stuff like zat. We zought nozing different of zee fur coat."

Harry 'hmm'd' before shrugging, "Oh well. What's done is done. Luckily for you that there is a branch of Madam Malkin's in Hogsmeade where you can get wool uniforms."

Fleur muttered **'** _Thank, Merlin_ **'** before continuing to look around the room.

"Well, are we ready to go to the Great Hall?" Harry asked. At their nods, he led the way out of the Common Room and down the hallway. "I hope you don't mind if we take a passageway. There is one close by that is easier to navigate than going down the Moving Staircases. I must warn you though, it's a bit bumpy."

Fleur's **'** _Of course it is_ **'** caused Hermione to laugh once more.

-oOo-

Hermione and Fleur found themselves walking unsurely along a dark and damp hallway. Harry and Ron had told them the general location of the abandoned girl's bathroom and had sent them there on their own, claiming that they needed to run back up to the Common Room for something. Hermione hoped that the 'something' they had forgotten was important because, if it wasn't, she was going to kill them for abandoning them.

" _Calm down._ **"** Fleur muttered, lacing their fingers together as they rounded a corner. **"** _I am sure we are going the right way and getting mad at the boys is unnecessary._ **"**

" _How do you know we are going the right way?_ **"** Hermione felt goosebumps rise along her back as an eerie wailing suddenly sounded.

" _In their story yesterday, Ron said that the Chamber was found in an abandoned bathroom that was along an abandoned hallway that was flooded. Is this hallway not flooded? And could that not be Moaning Myrtle screaming?_ **"**

Sure enough, Hermione stepped in a rather large puddle of water that soaked her shoes through. She had just looked down to scowl at her misfortune when a voice rang out through the hallway.

"Granger! What are you doing here? I thought that dark was your lots bedtime because the creatures get riled when they don't get their beauty sleep."

Hermione glanced up and groaned as she saw Draco Malfoy and another Slytherin student making their way towards them. Fleur growled lowly beside her and immediately let go of her hand. The brunette heard the near silent 'whoosh' of her mate's wand springing into her hand.

"What? Cat got your tongue, Granger?" Malfoy sneered at them as the two came to a stop a few feet away, "Or maybe you got dumber after going to Beauxbatons. I had heard that of the three schools, Beauxbatons had the lowest test scores. But that's probably due to the half-breed running the place."

Hermione rolled her eyes at the insult and crossed her arms (mostly to stop herself from changing to her fur and attacking them), "What do you want, Malfoy? Surely there is somebody else out there for you to bother."

"That is not any of your business, Granger." Malfoy smirked at her briefly before standing up straight and adjusting his school robe. The boy beside him did the same.

The brunette was just about to ask them what they were doing when a third voice (one that she recognized easily and caused her eyes to close with frustration) called out from behind them, "What seems to be the problem here?"

Hermione didn't even turn around to face Snape like Fleur did. His presence alone was enough to put her on edge and cause a growl to form in her throat. She didn't want to risk looking at him, afraid that seeing the Greasy Git would cause hexes to fly.

"Nothing, Professor. Just welcoming some of our guests to the castle." Malfoy calmly said, brushing a hand through his hair. A glint of silver caught Hermione's attention and caused her eyes to narrow in confusion.

"That's right, Professor." The dark-skinned boy beside Malfoy finally spoke up, his voice quiet yet demanding at the same time, "We were just discussing the differences between Beauxbatons and Hogwarts."

Malfoy nodded, "Yes, we were very interested in learning more about our guests. We were lucky to have stumbled upon Miss Granger and Miss Delacour so we could ask questions."

"Clearly," Snape drawled, walking around them so Hermione had no choice but to look at the Potion's Master. As soon as their eyes met, Hermione felt a sharp pain in her head and immediately focused on his forehead, her hands clenching with anger.

Matilde had been slowly teaching her Occlumency since her first New Year's with the Delacour's. Training was slow (too slow in Hermione's opinion) and she had just learned to create a full, temporary shield around her mind. The older Delacour had commended her for her progress (apparently mastering Occulamency took many years and Legilimency longer still) and had advised her to meditate each night to continue her training while she was at Hogwarts. While Hermione still wasn't able to protect her mind fully, she had learned enough to detect when somebody was using Legilimency against her.

Snape simply raised his eyebrow at her before turning to face the two Slytherins, "Carry on, then. I would hate to see your curiosity left," he turned and sneered at them, "unsatisfied."

"Of course, Professor." Malfoy smirked and slightly nudged the other boy.

Snape turned sharply on his heel, his robes billowing out behind him, and continued down the hall. He had only taken a few steps before halting and looking over his shoulder. "Put that wand away, Miss Delacour, before I take you to your Headmistress."

Fleur let out a low growl, but complied. At seeing this, Snape nodded and continued on, disappearing around the corner.

Only the soft dripping of water was all that was heard after the Potion Master left. Hermione gazed curiously at the two boys in front of her all the while trying to silently calm her mate. Veela did not take kindly to insults and Fleur clearly remembered what Malfoy had said before Snape had interrupted him.

Hermione watched as the dark-skinned boy cocked his head to the side before elbowing Malfoy. A glance was exchanged between the two before the Slytherin walked to their left and entered a doorway, the sound of splashing water becoming more apparent when the door opened. Malfoy continued to gaze at them before he widened his eyes briefly in challenge and followed the boy through the door.

The two girls remained standing in the hallway, staring at the bathroom door in disbelief. The wailing sounded once before what sounded like muted giggles emerged.

" _You must be joking,_ **"** Fleur muttered before she too walked to the door. She glanced inside before shaking her head and turning back to Hermione. **"** _This is the right place, Maya._ **"**

" _Of course it is._ **"** Hermione muttered and took a deep breath before walking into the bathroom.

The first thing she noticed was that the room was a complete wreck. A few of the sinks were busted and spouting water all over the floor while all of the bathroom stall doors had been ripped off their hinges. What caught her eye though was the giant hole to the right side that seemed to have no end.

"I am afraid the only way down is to jump," a voice suddenly giggled out.

Hermione nearly jumped out of her skin as she whirled around only to come face-to-face with a floating, transparent girl.

"You must be Moaning Myrtle," Fleur said.

The girl glared at the blonde, "Well of course I'm Moaning Myrtle. Moaning Myrtle. Moaning Myrtle. Who hasn't heard of poor, lonely Moaning Myrtle? And you must be the blonde bird and lost Gryffindor that everybody is talking about." Myrtle looked them up and down, "You are definitely not what I was expecting."

"Sorry about that, Myrtle." Hermione barely stopped herself from sneering. "Could you please tell us what we need to do? I feel like we need to follow the two boys who just entered."

Myrtle shrugged before drifting away, "I told you already. You need to jump."

Fleur looked over the edge of the hole, " 'ow far down is zee bottom?"

"Silly bird," Myrtle giggled once more, "where would be the fun if I just TOLD you? Jump and find out."

Hermione felt irritation rise up from her mate. Before Fleur had a chance to turn around and yell at the ghost, Hermione grasped her hand and jumped down the hole. A scream erupted (from either her or Fleur, Hermione couldn't tell) as they hit a slide that twisted and turned at random. The brunette began to feel sick the deeper they went.

Eventually ( _Finally_ , Hermione thought with relief), they came to a skidding halt on a pile of blankets and pillows.

" _If that bitch was not already dead, I would go back up there and kill her myself._ **"** Fleur grounded out before standing up on shaky legs. Hermione could only groan in response, an arm thrown over her eyes, hoping that the world would stop spinning soon.

"Well, that isn't very nice, Miss Delacour." A voice drawled somewhere from the darkness, "Miss Myrtle is a trusted ally."

Fleur drew her wand and cast a 'Lumos', illuminating the four of them in a bright, blue light.

"And you two," Hermione slowly sat up as Fleur stalked towards them, "what is wrong wiz you boz? Are you an ally or an enemy? You treat us like scum, but lead us to zee place we were searching for?"

"Easy Delacour," Malfoy held his hands up, "it was necessary. Snape had been tailing you two all day. Blaise and I had to be 'the enemy' to not give ourselves away and get Snape off your trail."

Hermione made her way to them, "Wait, you're both Marauders? How? I can't imagine Harry or Ron allowing you in. Not after how you treated us our First Year."

The Slytherin named Blaise scoffed and crossed his arms, allowing Hermione to see a silver glint on his hand as well, before muttering, "As if THEY were the ones that allowed us in."

"Of course we're Marauders, Granger. Now come on. We will answer all your questions when we are together. We need to figure out what we are going to do about this Tournament situation we find ourselves in." With that, Malfoy spun on his heel and began walking down the path, Blaise following shortly behind.

Hermione glanced towards Fleur with a shrug before following the two Slytherins. _Harry did tell us to keep an open mind,_ she thought, _I guess I should have taken it literally._

" **I do not trust them."** Fleur whispered to her as they walked, **"The blonde seems just as shifty as before and the dark boy is hard to keep track of. I cannot read him at all."**

"It's not nice to whisper behind somebody's back in a language they can't understand." Malfoy called over his shoulder, a familiar smirk forming on his face. "Patience Delacour, I promise everything will make sense momentarily.

Hermione felt goosebumps break out over her skin as they stopped before a large, circular door. A long snake was coiled at the base and the door was covered in runes and latches. A slight movement caught the brunette's attention and she watched as Malfoy pulled some sort of clear stone from his pocket. He placed his wand against it and suddenly the air was filled with a hissing sound. The coiled snake slowly slithered along an etched path, passing underneath all the latches, until reaching the other side of the door. Malfoy put the stone away as the door slid open.

"Welcome you two," Malfoy smirked at them, "to the Chamber of Secrets."

Hermione heard Blaise scoff slightly (sounded more like a chuckle), but ignored it in favor of gazing around the large cavern. Water lined both sides of the path from the door to a large, circular island. A rather large head with its mouth open stood on the far side, staring at them with stone eyes. Something about it made the hair on the back of her neck raise. It was probably the giant snake head hanging above it, but she was not one to judge decoration.

Suddenly, she saw the familiar figure of Harry Potter walking towards them, his mouth stretched wide in a smile, "You guys found it! Congratulations."

"You should've warned them about Snape, Potter." Malfoy walked past them and into the Chamber. "We found the Snake tailing them. You are lucky that he can't speak French or we would've been in trouble."

That brought a scowl to Harry's face. "Bloody git." He muttered before turning back to them. "You didn't look him in the eye, did you?"

"Not after he tried Legilimency on me." Hermione crossed her arms, "Thanks for the warning, Harry."

"How did you know he tried Legilimency, Granger?" Malfoy stopped and doubled back.

Hermione scowled, "Stop calling me that Malfoy. Either call me Delacour or Hermione, but don't bring them up again." She smiled internally as she watched him step back at her tone. "And I knew he tried Legilimency because I've been training with Occulmency since Second Year."

"So, you're just getting started then, right?" Malfoy raised an eyebrow before shrugging, "That's still better than most of us so you're ahead of the game. I'm assuming that Fleur has also been practicing the skill?"

"Actually, no. I 'ave found zat zee ways of zee mind do not interest me." Fleur shrugged slightly, "I learned enough to guard my most precious memories, but quit shortly after." What Fleur didn't tell them (for which Hermione smirked slightly at) is that it didn't matter if Fleur practiced the skill or not. As long as one of them knew it, the other could easily 'borrow' the skill when needed. Just one of the perks of being soulmates.

"As long as you can guard some memories and recognize an attack that is all I need." Malfoy motioned for them, "Come on, we've wasted enough time already."

As Hermione walked into the heart of the Chamber (the ceiling was a lot taller than she first realized) a low snort had her pausing mid step. There, not a meter away, was a very large, very black dog. It did not seem aggressive (it was sitting upright, wagging its tail beside some blonde woman), but Hermione wasn't taking any chances.

"Not a fan of dogs, 'Mione?" Ron called out from his seat beside the giant stone head. She saw him shoot a smile at Harry before turning back to her.

"Not really." Hermione barely stopped herself from stepping behind Fleur (the blonde had ahold of her hand and was running her thumb across her knuckles in a calming way), "At least tell me it will stay over there."

As if knowing what she had just said, the dog stood up and padded over to them. The closer it got the more Hermione felt like growling at it. Luckily, she didn't have to do anything of the sort because as soon as it got beside Harry, the dog transformed into a tall man. The Animagus was not as mangy looking as his dog form. His black hair looked freshly cut and his beard was neatly trimmed. The only thing that gave him away was the tell-tale haunted look in his eyes that Hermione knew came from long exposure to Dementors.

"Sirius Black." Hermione breathed, unconsciously stepping back as she recognized the man from the wanted posters. Fleur let loose a low growl, releasing her hand to prepare for a battle.

"Easy ladies, easy." Sirius Black motioned to them in a 'calm down' gesture. "I know what you've heard of me and I can guarantee you that everything is wrong. I am not the man that the Wizarding World portrayed me as. I promise."

Hermione glanced between Harry and the man before nodding, "I'm sorry, Mr. Black. Harry told us that you were innocent and his godfather, but we just sort of reacted."

Black gave a lopsided grin, "No worries, I understand. And please, it's Sirius. Anyways, I've been waiting all year to meet you, Hermione. As soon as Harry and Ron told me about you, I knew you would make an amazing Marauder. Even if you smell like a cat." Hermione winced slightly at that, but luckily nobody saw as both Harry and Sirius had turned away and walked towards the others. With a brief glance towards Fleur, Hermione turned and followed them as well.

As they made themselves comfortable, Hermione took the time to observe everyone. Sirius Black had sat back down ( _as a human, luckily_ ) beside the blonde haired woman who was smirking at her. Harry (who was sat on the other side of Black) was laughing at whatever the man had said. Ron was leaning against the stone head by now, watching her with a smile. Blaise (whom she had not noticed until now) was leaned against the other side, also watching her intently with Malfoy standing beside him. A giggling to the right caused her to focus on Neville sitting beside a redheaded girl with Hufflepuff colors on. Everybody, she noticed, positioned their hands in such a way that their rings were showing.

"So, Gra-er-Hermione," Malfoy shook his head briefly before raising an eyebrow at her, "is this what you were expecting when you received my letter?"

Hermione folded her arms, "Not really, but why am I not surprised that you're 'Silver-Tongue'?"

"Actually, it's 'The Silver-Tongued Devil'," Sirius happily supplied, "but that's a mouthful so we shortened it to 'Silver-Tongue'."

" 'ow did you get such a name?" Fleur cocked her head to the side.

"Most of our names are based off of how our rings are formed." Malfoy walked towards them and showed Hermione his ring. She was surprised by the demented looking, horned head that it had formed. The devil's mouth was wide open, engulfing Malfoy's finger, with a sleek tongue nearly wrapped all the way around. After looking up for permission, Hermione slightly grazed her finger across it, watching the entire ring, except for the tongue, shine a bright gold.

"Whatever shines gold is what we base our names off of." Malfoy stepped back a few paces and motioned towards Harry. "The eyes on Harry's snake shine and after hearing the story of how he found this place, we called him 'Basilisk'. Ron's ring formed into a bunch of chess pieces," the blonde gestured behind himself, "and when touched, the rooks shine, hence the name 'Rook'."

Neville stepped towards her with a smile on his face, "My ring is quite plain actually." He showed her the (anything but) simple band that was covered in claw marks looking like it was recently torn apart. "All of the marks light up and since my Dad's name was 'Grizzle' due to his Animagus form, they called me 'Bearclaw'."

"Your dad was a Marauder?" Hermione asked as she touched his band, watching the various claw marks light up.

"Both of my parents were." Neville beamed, "That's one of the reasons that Harry and Ron let me join."

"Why was 'is name based on 'is Animagus form?" Fleur asked.

"Ah, that was our fault." Sirius gestured sheepishly between himself and the blonde woman. "Back when we were in school, we never thought of naming ourselves based on our rings. You see, each generation of Marauders gets to figure out their naming system themselves. You guys chose to look at your rings…"

"Because Draco was too young to be an Animagus when he became a Marauder." The blonde woman spoke up.

Sirius smiled, "That's right. Draco was the first Marauder of this generation and Narcissa named him after his ring which started the tradition." Hermione glanced at Malfoy who simply raised an eyebrow at her.

"Anyways, in our generation, we were all mostly Animagi, so we named ourselves after our forms. I'm 'Padfoot' because of the dog. Cissy here is 'Moonclaw' because she is a white cat." The woman named Narcissa (which Hermione concluded was Malfoy's mum) quickly transformed into a small, pure white cat before changing back.

"Then Remus," Sirius paused at her and Fleur's confused faces , "er..Remus Lupin that is."

"Sorry, 'arry only called 'im Lupin when we talked yesterday."

"He mostly goes by Lupin or 'Moony' which is what we called him due to his furry problem." Sirius glanced curiously at Fleur. "Which, by the way, I heard you could help him with."

"Oui, zere is a werewolf mated to one of my Sisters and we talk a lot. If 'e wishes to be off of Wolfsbane completely and live in 'armony wiz zee beast, I will send 'im in 'er direction."

"That would be a life saver, thank you."

"Where is this Remus Lupin anyways?" Hermione looked around the Chamber. She only saw the two adults amongst them and she was sure that he wasn't a student. They had worried all day about what they would do if faced with the werewolf, knowing that he would sense Hermione's fur immediately, and she couldn't help but be slightly relieved that he wasn't there.

"Him and Ironside, or Amelia Bones, couldn't be here today." The Hufflepuff girl spoke up, smiling when Hermione turned to her.

"Amelia Bones? Zee Amelia Bones?" Fleur asked astonished. "Zee 'ead of zee British Aurors?"

"The very same." The girl got up and walked towards them, "I'm Susan Bones by the way, or 'Lightspark', however you want to refer to me as." Susan held up her ring to show Hermione the dozen or so, engraved stars in the band. When touched, all of the stars lit up at various times and Hermione was reminded of fireworks exploding in the sky.

"It's good to meet you Susan," Hermione smiled fondly at her.

"Oh, we already met once before, Hermione. We walked into the Great Hall as First Years together." Susan giggled suddenly, "You wouldn't stop talking about the ceiling's enchantments and Hogwarts: A History."

Hermione had the decency to blush, "Sorry for being so annoying."

"It's no problem at all."

"Anyways," Malfoy cleared his throat, "last, but not least, is Blaise over there or 'Grim' as we call him."

"Which is such a stupid name." Blaise growled out.

Hermione watched as Susan rolled her eyes and Neville and Malfoy sighed. _This seems to be an ongoing argument,_ she thought in amusement.

"No it's not Grim." Harry grinned at the glare he received, "Your ring is covered in skulls so of course we are going to call you the Grim Reaper."

" _That is slightly terrifying._ **"** Fleur muttered which caused Hermione to chuckle.

"It's a stupid name," Blaise repeated, crossing his arms and leaning back onto the stone head.

"Which brings us to you two." Hermione and Fleur looked towards Malfoy. "Hermione, you already have your ring which is due to how much Harry and Ron trust you. Truthfully, I would need more than that, but seeing what has recently happened, I feel as if we all can trust you. And Fleur, as I told you guys in my letter, normally we would require that you prove yourselves to us."

"So we don't have another 'Wormtail' incident." Sirius suddenly growled.

Malfoy shook his head, "But, seeing as you and Hermione are soul bound to each other, I say that it is unnecessary in this case. Therefore," Malfoy gestured for Harry who walked towards them. The Boy-Who-Lived held his hand out with a plain, silver ring in his palm. "go ahead and place the ring upon your right middle finger. Then we will name you two."

Fleur shook her head (Hermione could feel the immense amusement coming off of her in waves) and delicately grabbed the ring and slid it into position. As with Hermione's ring, Fleur's flashed with light and magic for a few moments while it shaped itself. Upon the light clearing, Fleur started to giggle.

"And I'm not surprised at all." Malfoy muttered.

Fleur's ring had transformed into a bird's talon, gripping tightly around her finger. Each nail looked very sharp and Hermione was surprised that they weren't digging into Fleur's skin. At the top, what looked to be a silver fireball rested like a gem. Malfoy touched the silver talons and watched as the fireball and nails glowed gold.

"Never going to escape it."Hermione barely breathed, thinking back to what she first thought when her own ring formed. It seemed that the ring would relate to the creature within every time. She received an odd glance from Malfoy and a chuckle from Fleur.

"Alright, everyone," Malfoy called out, "we need to figure out names for our two newest Marauders before we begin our meeting. Anybody have any suggestions?"

Sirius and Ron walked towards them to inspect the rings while Blaise moved over to sit next to Narcissa. Hermione watched the two sitting curiously before being crowded by the others. Their rings were inspected thoroughly (she received another odd glance from Malfoy when he saw the saber tooth's jaw) before they all stepped back at the same time.

"I think," Harry tapped his finger to his chin, "that Hermione should be 'Longtooth'."

Hermione barely stopped herself from face-palming.

"And our lovely Fleur should be 'Fury'." Sirius grinned at the blonde who beamed back.

"I like it." Fleur said, "it sounds very fierce."

"Alright, all in favor?" Malfoy looked around them and everyone shouted their agreement.

Malfoy smirked at Hermione's disgruntled expression, "Excellent. Therefore, I would like to officially welcome Longtooth and Fury into our little band of Marauders. May you question everything and accept nothing." The group cheered again as Hermione groaned under her breath.

 _Bloody fantastic._

-oOo-

"Welcome to the Terrible Name Group, Longtooth." Blaise muttered as Hermione sat down beside him.

"I regret having Harry pick the name, Grim Reaper." The brunette placed her forehead into her hands.

Blaise chuckled, "Rotten luck that. Draco named me back before our First Year. Thought the name sounded dark and mysterious. Personally, I think it sounds creepy as Hell."

"I quite like it, Blaise." Fleur spoke up from the other side of Hermione. "It will put fear in zee 'eart of your enemies. Just zink, when you go into battle zey will say, 'Oh no! 'ere comes zee Grim Reaper'." The blonde dramatically leaned into Hermione's side.

"That's almost the same thing Draco said." Blaise shook his head and leaned back. "All blondes must be that stupid." Fleur immediately glared at him.

"So, how did you guys become Marauders so early?" Hermione spoke up, placing a hand on Fleur's arm to contain the Veela.

"Because I knew that the tradition needed to be kept and Draco needed to know that the Dark Arts was not the only way to power." Narcissa stated. Hermione could not help but glance at the blonde curiously. _So she started all of this?_

"Actually, Mum, it might be good to explain to them how this generation of Marauders got started." Malfoy ( _I guess I'm going to have to start calling him 'Draco' eventually_ ) spoke up from his seat across from them. "I'm sure the Wonder Twins didn't do it yesterday."

Harry and Ron just shrugged. "We had more important things to discuss." Harry said.

Draco smirked, "Sure you did Potter. Anyways Mum, if you please. It is your story really."

Mrs. Malfoy sighed before standing up and walking before the group. She looked briefly at Sirius before speaking, "I inducted Draco as a Marauder when he was eight. Something," the blonde's eyes hardened briefly, "had happened on his birthday that showed me it was necessary. I told him that there were only four of us at that point; myself, Amelia, Remus, and him and that we had to start rebuilding our society with people we trusted. I told him," She held up her ring (which Hermione noticed to be in the shape of an elaborate crown), "that anyone wearing this ring and it being silver was to be trusted."

"What do you mean 'it being silver'?" Hermione looked around, "Aren't they all silver?"

Sirius growled lowly, "If you betray the Marauders in anyway, which means giving away our names, our locations, our secrets, anything, your ring will turn black and twisted."

"Pettigrew had such a ring on," Harry said, "and it was horrible. Somehow, it constantly smoked and glowed red on occasion, like coals in a fire."

"That is proof of his betrayal. I wanted to show Lupin that it wasn't me who had betrayed James and Lilly, but the Ministry never gave me the chance." Sirius shook his head.

"It is alright, Sirius," Narcissa said quietly, "You are out now and we all know the truth. We just have to wait for the perfect moment to tell the rest of the world." Sirius nodded in agreement and crossed his arms.

"Now, after Draco was inducted, we began to slowly look for new members. I told Amelia what I was doing and she immediately inducted Susan. Blaise proved himself worthy when they were ten and then there were three in the new generation."

"I didn't find out about the Marauders until the summer of Third Year." Harry spoke up. "It was after Ron and me had gotten back from our trip into the Muggle World looking for you and got yelled at by Mrs. Weasley. Dumbledore forced her to send me back to the Dursley's," Sirius growled once more, "where I accident blew up my aunt."

Hermione looked at him stupidly, "You blew up your aunt?"

"Yep, I blew her up and she floated away," Harry looked up as if he could see her above him before shaking his head. "Anyways, I ran away because Uncle Vernon started yelling at me and that's where I met Padfoot."

"I was just lucky that he hadn't heard of 'Sirius Black' before then." Sirius ruffled Harry's hair briefly, "I transformed back from the dog and told him that I was his godfather and showed him memories of his parents and me together."

"Excuse me." Narcissa glared at them, "This is my story. I get to explain it." Sirius chuckled and waved her on. "Thank you, what Sirius left out is that he got the Pensive from me which is why they turned up on my doorstep that night." She shook her head. "I was just happy that Lucius was off on some business trip. Anyways, we told Harry about the Marauders and he insisted on joining."

"Since both of my parents, my godfather, and my honorary uncle were all Marauders," Harry shrugged, "I might as well be one too."

Narcissa raised an eyebrow at him, "Right…he was a little wary of Draco being a Marauder, apparently they didn't get along too well in school, but came to understand why my son acted the way he did."

"I had to keep up the appearance of being a pureblooded git." Draco spoke up. "If word got back to my father that I wasn't a copy of him…well…let's just say that nothing good would happen."

"Does that mean you are still going to be a git after this meeting?" Hermione asked.

"Afraid so. I have an image to maintain. I'll try not to go after you too much, but whenever we are in the same room together, I have to say something."

"Stay away from 'im." Fleur muttered quietly. Obviously her mate didn't want a confrontation and Hermione couldn't help but agree.

"After Harry was inducted," Narcissa continued on, "they went to Hogwarts where he brought up the idea of Ron being a Marauder to Lupin. The boy passed the tests with flying colors and he got his ring as well."

"You're lucky we waived those for you two." Ron shuddered, "Veritaserum and Legilimency sucks."

Narcissa glared at the redheaded boy for interrupting her, "Anyways, at that point, there were five new Marauders that were trying to keep Sirius, who insisted on being at Hogwarts, hidden and trying to find Pettigrew."

"He vanished the first time Sirius 'broke' in." Harry sighed.

"Yes, well, Sirius eventually found him and trapped him in the Shrieking Shack where Harry, Ron, and Neville stupidly followed."

"We were coming back from visiting Hagrid at the time and saw Sirius chase something underneath the Womping Willow. Got our asses kicked when we tried to follow them, but we managed it." Harry spoke up.

"It's just unfortunate that the rat managed to escape." Sirius muttered.

"Poor Neville didn't have any idea what was going on," Ron punched the boy in question in the shoulder, "but like a true Gryffindor, he followed us anyways."

"Which is how he ended up a Marauder without having to take the tests. He proved himself worthy after helping them and saving Sirius." Narcissa sent a small smile towards the suddenly bashful boy.

Neville shrugged, "It was the right thing to do."

"Indeed. And like we said earlier, it helped that both of Neville's parents were Marauders as well."

Hermione asked, "Neville, do you mind if I ask what happened to them? I understand if you don't want to tell me."

Neville hesitated for a moment before sighing, "It's alright... They were tortured to insanity by Bellatrix Lestrange. They are currently in St. Mungos."

"I'm so sorry Neville." Hermione instantly regretted bringing them up. "I didn't mean to bring up a horrible memory."

The boy just shrugged in response.

Silence reigned for a few moments before Fleur shook her head, "But you all say zat zey 'were' Marauders yet zey are alive. Why are zey not Marauders still?"

Everybody looked to Narcissa who sighed, "Our rings let us know if one of us is in danger. When Sirius got sent to Azkaban, we all felt echoes of the Dementors' presence. The constant tinglings were making Frank and Alice's conditions worsen so Remus and I took their rings."

"Once your ring is taken," Sirius said solemnly, "you cannot be reinstated. Even if they ever recover their minds, they would have no knowledge of the Marauders and could never be a Marauder again."

A thick silence settled over the group as everyone thought of the tragedy that befell two of their members. Hermione saw Susan briefly touch Neville's arm as the boy looked ready to cry.

Narcissa cleared her throat, "But yes, that's how the new generation of Marauders got started. We are still on the lookout for people worthy enough or who we think should be tested. As soon as we got wind that you were coming to Hogwarts for the year, we knew that you need to be admitted."

"And Fleur too, of course." Harry smiled at the blonde, "You have no idea how shocked Ron and I were when Narcissa told us who, or what, you really were. The thought that our Hermione got soul bonded to a Veela was simply amazing and we knew that you had to be a Marauder too."

"And I zank you for zee invitation." Fleur smiled at him. "Somezing tells me zat everyone 'ere will make zis Tournament a lot easier."

"Ah yes, the Tournament." Sirius sneered.

"I really don't know how you two got your names submitted when the Goblet was enchanted," Ron shook his head.

"I 'ave no idea eizer. Just zat Maxime some'ow managed it."

"Your own Headmistress submitted your name?" Susan asked, her mouth open in shock.

"Oui, she admitted it to me after zee ozer Champions left zee room last night. Said somezing about me being zee only one 'oo could win." Hermione reached out and gripped Fleur's hand, feeling the need to calm both the Veela and Fleur all at once.

Malfoy ( _Draco_ , Hermione sighed internally) suddenly shook his head, "Wait a minute. Your Headmistress entered you, a Veela, into a competitive tournament knowing full well that you could go to jail over this because she wanted her school to win?"

"Nah, it can't be that easy." Sirius got up and began pacing, "Surely there has to be another reason."

"Unless zat reason is to piss of zee entirety of zee Delacour Clan, I do not know what it is."

"She is a Half-Giantess," Neville looked around, "maybe she wants to show that those with Creature blood can do just as good as those without."

"That doesn't make sense." Malfoy tapped his chin, "The law was designed because the ICW thought that those with Creature blood had more of an advantage over regular Witches and Wizards. Why would Maxime push a student that is fully a Creature into a tournament, claim she is a quarter-Veela, then reveal the truth at the end? If Fleur won, people would say it is due to her being a Creature and cause her to get arrested. If she lost, then people would make fun of Creatures, saying they aren't powerful at all. It's a lose-lose situation."

"What if she really just wants to win?" Everybody turned towards Blaise. "Think about it. Beauxbatons does have the lowest overall scores out of the three schools, we weren't making that up. But that's because they do not care so much about classes such as Care of Magical Creatures, Astronomy, Herbology, things like that. The classes are offered yes, but they don't go into too much detail. They have excellent scores in Defense, Potions, Charms, and Transfiguration because those are needed more in the real world. What if Maxime wants to win to show the world that her school is still great, even with lower overall scores?"

Harry scratched her head, "So…she wants to show that you don't need extra classes to succeed in life? Just that you need the core subjects?"

"It makes sense to me." Blaise shrugged.

"But if that was the case, why wouldn't she enter a normal Magical in the Tournament?" Hermione leaned forward. "Why enter Fleur, who does extra studying outside of school, to prove her theory?"

"You do extra studying outside of school?" Ron snurled up his nose, "I can barely get through regular school."

Fleur shrugged, "Veela 'ave lessons during zee weekend and zee summer. Zey teach our fledglings zee basics of life and we continue taking zese courses zroughout school."

"That's not important. What is important is that Maxime is willing to put a student's life on the line just to prove her point." Narcissa folded her arms, "That is, if that is what she is after. Which reminds me, Fleur," the blonde looked up, "have you sent an owl to your family yet?"

"Not yet. Do not worry zough, I 'ave a plan on getting zee letter out."

"Good."

"Alright, so we think we know why Fleur was entered, but what about Harry." Sirius motioned towards his godson.

Fleur shook her head, "Zat I do not know and nobody in zee room last night seemed suspicious. What I did find weird is zat zey did not declare zee Tournament a forfeit and redraw names."

"They could've done that?" Harry gripped his hair at Fleur's nod, "Bloody Hell!"

"So what? They just said he had to compete?" Draco asked.

"Oui, no question, no objection, no nozing."

"Wait!" Ron suddenly stood up, "The rules of the Tournament said that you had to be seventeen years or older to compete. Since Harry was entered, does that mean he is now legally an adult?"

Everybody paused, mulling over the idea. Hermione looked at the red haired boy with pride. _He has matured so much since I left._

"Actually?" Narcissa looked at Harry, "I have no clue. You will have to speak to a lawyer to go through the contract and figure it out."

"Where would I find a lawyer?" Harry looked to Sirius.

"Gringott's should be able to help you."

"Oh!" Harry smiled, "I have to go see them anyways." Suddenly he frowned, "How am I going to get off campus though? The First Task is the 24th and I can't wait till Christmas Break!"

"We aren't allowed to leave on Christmas anyways." Draco sighed, "There's a rumor about a Ball of some sort that the Champions have to compete in."

Hermione felt Fleur's excitement while Harry groaned loudly. A Ball would definitely sidetrack everybody from any wrong doings going on in the school. A perfect distraction.

"I think that Dumbledore knows who submitted Harry's name and is waiting for them to slip up before calling them out." Susan spoke up. "It's the same every year. Something bad is happening and there is some culprit with Harry usually as bait or the thing to capture the bad guy. This time, Harry is bait again."

"I hate being me." Harry muttered to the ground. Hermione couldn't help but feel sorry for him. _I can't imagine what it's like being chased and manipulated every year._

"It will be alright, Harry." Sirius patted his back, "You have all of us to help you out. Neither of you will be going into this Tournament blindly. I promise."

Narcissa clapped her hands together, "Now, I think that is enough plotting for one day. It is nearly midnight and you all have school first thing in the morning." All of the students groaned pitifully. "You guys will be fine. If we find anything out, we will message you somehow."

Everybody dutifully got up and began moving to the front door. Hermione noticed that Sirius and Narcissa were heading behind the stone head and figured that there must be a back entrance somewhere. _I'll have to ask Harry about that one._

As they reached the base of the slide (Hermione dreaded climbing up that) Fleur spoke up, " 'arry, can some of my Sisters take zis trust test of yours? I know some of zem are very trustworzy and could 'elp us immensely."

Everybody stopped and turned to look at Malfoy (which Hermione found odd) who simply shrugged, "Honestly Fleur? I don't think it necessary. You were only inducted because of your connection to Hermione and I doubt you would've let her come down here to the meeting without you tagging along."

Hermione knew instinctively that her mate would never have allowed that.

"With your Sisters, they follow your lead anyways, right? I mean, you're supposed to be next Alpha, correct?" Fleur nodded. "So, you could just tell them what they need to do if we need their help. I see no need to have members of another group within our group when their leader is a Marauder. If we determine it is necessary, then we will consider it."

"I understand, Malfoy." Fleur nodded once more.

"So, Malfoy-er-Draco, are you leader?" Hermione finally got to ask the question that had been nagging her all night.

"Sort of. I was the first Marauder of this generation and I know more about the inner workings of the Ministry." Malfoy shrugged. "Nobody has declared me leader per say. I just kind have taken on the responsibility."

"And he has been amazing." Harry punched Malfoy in the shoulder (Hermione still shook her head at the odd sight).

"Yea, I was a little bit worried about being friends with Malfoy, but he proved himself multiple times last year." Ron smiled at him, "Without him, I doubt we could've figured out half the stuff."

"Alright, alright, we can give praise to our glorious leader later." Susan smirked at the group. "I for one, am exhausted."

Everybody agreed and climbed the hidden ladder to the side up to the bathroom. Hermione grumbled to herself the entire time, wondering why they couldn't have used the ladder the first time instead of using the slide. _So stupid,_ she thought as they climbed out of the hole.

Harry hissed something to the room and Hermione watched in awe as sinks rose back up and covered the hole. No sign of a hidden entrance, nothing amiss at all.

"That's so cool." She received a grin from the Boy-Who-Lived.

"Now remember, tomorrow we are all back to normal." Malfoy looked at all of them, "No Marauders, no friends, we are enemies. Got it?"

Harry nodded with determination while Ron just sighed, "Yea, yea. We hear you Silver."

"Good. Expect a message from us soon. I'm hoping we find something out about the Tournament and get to the bottom of this." Malfoy nodded once before he and Blaise left the bathroom.

"See you guys tomorrow." Susan waved over her shoulder as she left too.

The four that remained waited a few moments before they too exited the bathroom into a dark corridor. The snoring from the paintings was all that could be heard as they walked to the front door.

"So, what was so important that you abandoned us for?" Hermione whispered.

"We had to go get the Cloak. There would be no way we could sneak all the way back to Gryffindor Tower undetected," Harry pulled a cloth bundle out from under his school robes.

"Merlin, I forgot about that Cloak." Hermione shook her head and stopped in front of the entrance. She felt Fleur's confusion and signaled that she would tell her later.

"Will you two be alright going back to the carriage?" Ron asked.

Fleur raised an eyebrow, "Of course. We are masters at 'iding."

Harry smirked, "That's good to know. We might need to sneak around more often as the year continues."

Hermione shook her head as the two boys said their goodbyes and pulled the Cloak over their heads, disappearing from sight. She heard Fleur's gasp of shock and the muffled footsteps of the boys walking away. _They won't be able to hide from me with that,_ Hermione thought, listening to them shuffle up the stairs, _That might be helpful._

She looked down as Fleur took hold of her hand and lightly tugged her out the door. The night air chilled her to the bone and they hurriedly made their way to carriage, hoping that the start of classes tomorrow would be as calm as today.

Something told her that their troubles had only just begun.

-xXx-

 **AN:** I love how people were guessing as to who would be in the Marauders and got some of them right. Like I would've chosen anyone BUT Draco to be 'Silver-Tongue' XD You guys are amazing for picking up hints and putting pieces together. Love you all.

 **Thanks for reading!**


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

 **AN:** Good news, everyone! I got my stuff all done this past week and was able to finish the chapter! I was super worried that it wouldn't get done in time, but the Fates were with me. Now, I'm happy that most everybody was pleased with last weeks chapter. I agree with some of you that it was...meh...and that was truly my fault. I rushed it and probably didn't spend as much time rereading and editing as I probably should have. If I have any free time, I'll go back and edit some things, just to make the entire scene flow a little smoother. If I add anything significant, I'll inform you in an AN so nobody is left behind.

I do want to thank everybody for their reviews, PMs, and overall support. I just want to remind you all that I never would've continued this story without you guys backing me and I love each and every one of you.

 **Disclaimer:** I'm really just making shit up at this point. I don't own Harry Potter or the characters.

-xXx-

The early morning sun shined brightly through the carriage window. The sleeping saber tooth (whom would normally be irate at the intruding light) immediately opened her eyes with eagerness. _Today's the first day of classes,_ Hermione thought excitedly.

And truthfully, she wasn't sure why she was so excited. They still hadn't been given their schedules yet (Hermione assumed that they would receive them that morning) so she wasn't sure what all classes she had been signed up for. However, perhaps it just was the idea that she was finally back at Hogwarts, side-by-side with both her old friends and her mate that made the morning exciting.

Hermione immediately shifted back and looked down at the slumbering blonde fondly. Fleur hadn't been as excited the night before. The Marauder meeting hadn't gone like she intended (Fleur had expected to receive a bit more information) and overall, she had been disappointed. Her mate did like her ring and Marauder name though (Hermione still cringed at the thought of 'Longtooth') so that was a plus.

As slowly and quietly as she could, Hermione eased herself down so she was covering the blonde, watching Fleur's eyebrows furrow slightly at the movement. She connected her lips to the ones of the sleeping Veela, sucking lightly on the bottom lip. It only took a few moments before Fleur awoke and started to respond, gently nipping her own lips and parting them gently with her tongue. Hermione felt hands grip her bare waist and pull her tighter against the body below her.

Just before things started heating up (Thrall was steadily rising in the air), Hermione broke off the kiss and leaned back slightly. **"** _Good morning_ **"** she whispered with a grin.

She barely registered Fleur's lazy smile before she was brought back down for a kiss, the hands on her hips urging her to move. Hermione sat up fully this time with a slight smirk, **"** _No, we cannot do that right now. We have school in an hour._ **"**

Fleur growled out, **"** _We could skip. It is not like we are going to learn anything._ **"**

" _Hmm…perhaps not, but we still have to go._ **"** Hermione leaned down for a quick peck before getting out of bed, stretching briefly before walking to the dresser.

" _I get such a good wakeup call and then get interrupted for classes._ **"** Hermione heard Fleur mutter to herself, **"** _What a tease._ **"**

" _If you do not get up and start getting ready,_ **"** she said while she pulled on her hose, **"** _we will not play tonight either._ **"** _Total lie,_ Hermione chuckled to herself. At times, her sex drive was higher than the Veela's it seemed. Not that Fleur was complaining any.

Fleur gasped, **"** _You would not dare?!_ **"**

An eyebrow raised in defiance, **"** _Try me._ **"**

A brief standoff occurred between the two before Fleur sighed and stood up, **"** _You are too cruel, my lioness. You are lucky that I love you so much or I would not put up with this._ **"**

" _Yes. Very lucky._ **"** Hermione walked over and pecked the blonde on the lips once more. She heard the resulting purr and felt hands creep up to pull her closer. The brunette quickly sidestepped with a grin.

" _Nope. School first. Play later._ **"**

Fleur groaned pitifully, but began getting dressed. It wasn't long before they were out the door, walking with most of their fellow students. Everybody was talking excitedly about finally going to class, seeing how Hogwarts compared to Beauxbatons and, of course, meeting the amazing Masters they would be training under.

The large group turned heads as they walked through the Great Hall (Hermione assumed it was due to the nervous Thrall emitting from several of the Veela). She saw that Malfoy and Blaise were already seated at the Slytherin table beside some black-haired girl (the name Pansy came to mind, but she wasn't sure). Hermione felt the urge to wave at them. Maybe smile or nod or something. Something to indicate that she was on friendly terms with them. But Malfoy's warnings and Fleur's urgings from last night came to mind, so she continued on to the Gryffindor table without a second glance.

The only Fourth Year Gryffindors up were Neville, Lavender, and Parvati, the latter two bringing a frown to her face. Hermione remembered clearly the two girls whispering behind her back when they thought she was in bed. They hated that she was more interested in books than boys, in spells than make-up, and had thought to make fun of her for the entirety of their First Year. Hermione was determined to not let them get to her this time.

As they sat down, Fleur squeezed her held hand tightly ( _probably feeling the animosity I have towards the two girls)_. Hermione sent her a reassuring smile before letting go to begin eating.

"Morning, 'Mione." Neville called out, "Ready for your first day back?"

"I can't say that I'm not excited." Hermione frowned as the two Gryffindor girls giggled behind their hands, "But I am a little worried that we hadn't got our schedules yet. I fear that I'm going to be following you guys around like a lost dog." _Speaking of_. "By the way, where are Harry and Ron?"

Neville snorted, "Those two? They're still asleep of course. Them, Seamus, and Dean are almost always late to class."

"Some things never change I guess."

"Ah, there you are."

Hermione turned to see Professor McGonagall approaching them, a stack of papers in her hands. "I meant to give these to you all at breakfast yesterday, but I'm afraid there were some changes that I had to make." She started calling out names and handing the papers out. "These are your schedules for the remainder of the semester. Moret? These were based on the list, Phaneuf? of classes that you were taking that your headmistress gave us. Eschete? Some of your classes were not offered here, so we placed you in random electives. Broce? If you do not like them, come see me and we will get them changed for you. Chenot? Now, if you get lost, do not be afraid to ask a student or a professor. Thebeau? All of your classes correspond to Gryffindor's so you can also follow a Gryffindor student from your year. Delacour?"

Hermione looked on in amusement as she saw McGonagall's eyes grow wide briefly before looking at her. "Hello, Professor."

"Miss Granger…" McGonagall breathed, looking at her as if she were a ghost. The brunette frowned slightly at the surname before the older Witch shook her head. "Sorry…Miss Delacour. I must say, I was so happy when I saw your name on the list of students that were to visit us. And I was even happier when you walked to Gryffindor table." McGonagall smiled at her. "Truly, Miss Delacour, you were greatly missed these past two years."

"I missed being here, Professor." Hermione ducked her head bashfully. "Don't get me wrong. Beauxbatons is wonderful, but there is no place like Hogwarts."

McGonagall chuckled, "Quite right you are." She shook her head once more before standing up straight and holding out a piece of paper. "Your schedule, Miss Delacour. I hope you remember your way around the castle."

"Yes, Ma'am. Though, I'm sure if I get lost, Harry and Ron could help me."

A quick snort, "As if those two would ever be on time for anything. Anyways, enjoy your breakfast. I look forward to seeing you in class tomorrow."

"You too, Professor." Hermione smiled after her as she finished handing out the schedules before walking back to the teacher's table.

" _Sucking up to the professors already, Delacour?_ **"** A fellow Fourth Year Beauxbaton (one that had hated Hermione since the beginning) sneered. The brunette boy reminded her a lot of Lavender and Pavarti actually. Always whispering behind her back and making fun of her achievements. _Guess there's one in every group,_ she rolled her eyes. Hermione glared back at him briefly, but did not respond, instead choosing to focus on her schedule (for which she groaned upon seeing).

" _That bad?_ **"** Fleur asked, leaning over to see.

" _You could say that. I am outside for the better part of the day. Herbology first, then Charms. After lunch, I have Care of Magical Creatures and Arithmancy._ _ **"**_

" _Care of Magical Creatures?_ **"** Amélie pulled the schedule from her hands to look at it. **"** _Why are you taking Care of Magical Creatures?_ **"**

Hermione took her schedule back. **"** _Because Hogwarts does not offer Enchanting so they placed me in something random._ **"**

" _Seems silly to me._ **"**

" _Yes, well._ **"** The brunette sniffed delicately before turning to Fleur, **"** _What about you? How does your day look?_ **"**

The blonde shrugged, **"** _Okay, I guess. We have Defense Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration this morning then Potions for two class periods after lunch._ **"**

" _Be careful of Snape._ **"**

"You guys are talking about Snape?" Neville delicately butted in. Upon seeing the three turn to him, the poor boy blushed. "Sorry, I couldn't help but hear his name."

"No, I'm sorry Neville." Hermione shook her head, "That was rude of us. Yes, we were talking about Snape. Fleur and Amélie have Double Potions this evening."

Neville grimaced, "I'm so sorry. I would be careful if I were you though. Snape has been worse this year for some reason. And he will be extra nasty to you two."

"Why?" Fleur asked harshly. Hermione knew that her mate was jumping to conclusions, thinking that Snape was biased against creatures.

She quickly shook her head, "Snape hates Gryffindors. Harry got in trouble in First Year for breathing too hard. He won't like any of us because we are sat here."

"Zat is ridiculous." Amélie shook her head. " 'ow can a teacher such as 'im keep a job?"

"That's what we would all like to know. He scares me to death sometimes." Neville looked around before leaning in and whispering, "Last year, he was my Boggart."

Hermione leaned back, quickly covering her chuckle with a cough, "Are you serious?"

Neville nodded, "I nearly wet myself when he stalked out of the cabinet, his robes billowing behind him all menacing like. I'm just lucky that Professor Lupin hadn't laughed at me and told me what to do."

"I wish I had met Professor Lupin. He seemed like a great teacher."

"He was. Mad-Eye isn't that bad, really. Taught us a lot of what they teach in the Aurors so that's pretty cool." He leaned in again, "He showed us the Unforgivables, too."

"What?!" Fleur nearly stood up, startling a lot of the surrounding students. "A professor showed underage students zee Unforgivables? And 'e still teaches!? 'ow?"

Neville shrugged, "We don't know, but he did. He put us under the Imperious too. Made us do funny things. The only one who resisted was Harry."

"Zat is not right." Amélie looked away in anger. **"** _Chez is hard on us sometimes, yes, but he would never do something like that._ **"**

"I am sorry, Neville, but which professor are you talking about?" Fleur asked.

Neville pointed discretely at an older gentleman whose face was terribly scarred. Hermione felt chills run up and down her spine as she noticed that his fake eye (which protruded from his face) was staring at her intently.

"That's him. He was a famous Auror back in the day. He is the only person that was able to duel Lestrange and not only survive, but capture her and send her to Azkaban."

"I do not care 'ow famous 'e is. Zere is no reason to curse students like zat. I cannot wait to see what 'e does zis morning." Fleur grounded out.

It was about that time that Harry, Ron, Seamus, and Dean came rushing into the Great Hall, sitting at the table out of breath. Hermione shook her head at their disheveled clothes (Ron hadn't even bothered to properly tie his tie) and chuckled, "Good morning you lot. Looking a bit rough around the edges, aren't you?"

"Morning, 'Mione." Harry beamed at her. He was the most put together of the four ( _but that's probably how he looks all the time,_ Hermione couldn't help but think).

Ron simply grunted at her, Dean waved from his seat, and Seamus was staring at them wide-eyed and open mouthed. Hermione narrowed her eyes at the Irish boy.

Harry must've seen her expression because he quickly swatted Seamus on the back of the head. Just like with Ron, his face immediately became red and he turned to the Boy-Who-Lived. Before he had a chance to open his mouth, Harry pointed to the food on the table, "Eat, Seamus. We have to leave for the greenhouses in five minutes or we will lose points. Again." Hermione rolled her eyes at the pair.

Fleur standing up caused her to turn. The blonde simply shrugged at her questioning look, "We 'ave to go get our books for classes and zen find our way zere. Might as well leave early so we do not get lost in zis maze of a castle."

"I'll walk you, Fleur." Hermione also stood up with a smile. "I planned on doing it anyways."

"You are too sweet, mon amour."

Hermione looked back at the boys, "I'll see you guys in Herbology, yea?"

Neville nodded. "It's in Greenhouse 2, Hermione. Make sure you bring Dragon Hide gloves with you."

 _Oh lovely,_ Hermione thought with a grimace as she and Fleur left the Great Hall. _I cannot wait to see what nastiness Sprout has in store._

-oOo-

Hermione found herself undeniably bored as the day dragged on. Herbology was just as bad as she thought it was as they worked with Bubotuber Pus (damn stuff stunk so bad to her feline nose that her eyes had watered the entire time). She had been the first to rush out of the greenhouse and greedily suck in the fresh air. If anybody had thought her strange, they never mentioned it.

Charms was a little more exciting (not by much though). Poor Flitwick nearly toppled off of his book stack when he saw her. _Guess I was missed more than I thought,_ Hermione pondered as she happily talked with him before class began. Once class did start, everybody had looked at her in confusion when she didn't rush to answer the questions. Even Flitwick would glance in her direction anytime he asked something. The horrified gasps when she admitted that she didn't know the answer when she was finally called on nearly made her laugh.

It was just unfortunate that they hadn't had time to actually practice the Summoning Spell. Today had been all about theory and Hermione had found herself doodling on her parchment (Harry choking beside her when he found out had been worth almost getting caught). She also hadn't had a chance to talk with Flitwick and explain her situation to him. The fact that he hadn't asked her to stay after class showed her that there had been no reports sent to Hogwarts on the fact that she was basically doing Charms independently. Or that Belaire did send a note, but it was ignored. Hermione just hoped that he would allow her to continue her projects without too much hassle. _But something tells me that there will be an issue_ , Hermione frowned to herself.

Which was how Hermione found herself glaring at the ground as they walked towards Care of Magical Creatures. At Beauxbatons, the professors had been more than willing to work with her, knowing that her way of doing magic was different than normal students. _But they also knew about me being a creature,_ Hermione growled to herself. They were also more accepting of those with creature blood, considering that a good portion of their students were Veela and the school was run by a half-Giantess. _Stupid Britain and their stupid prejudices. If it wasn't for that, I could happily be myself and nobody would be amazed or surprised or scared._

"I wonder how the little buggers are." Neville suddenly spoke up beside her.

Ron snorted, "Knowing them? They already ate each other and now only the biggest and meanest one remains."

Harry and Dean both grimaced while Seamus groaned loudly. Hermione could only look at them in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh yea, we never told you." Harry rubbed the back of his neck, "Hagrid has been having us take care of Blasted-End Skrewts this semester. Something about it being a class project and learning experience or whatever."

"Problem is, they keep escaping from their pens and eating each other," Ron said.

"Not to mention that they try to eat US whenever they get a chance," Neville flexed his hand, "My palm still hurts."

Dean waved his hand dismissively, "Please. As if those two problems are bad. The absolute worst thing about them is they spit FIRE at us whenever we even THINK about approaching! I had to buy new robes after our first day."

"Wait, so is that why I haven't seen Hagrid yet?" Hermione looked at the boys, "He hasn't been at any of the meals and the lights are always off in his hut when we walk to and from the castle."

Harry nodded, "Probably. Those Skrewts take up a majority of his time. I really hadn't noticed him not being present, but it makes sense."

"I can't wait to see him again." Hermione laughed, "It's been so long, I can hardly remember what he looks like."

Dean looked at her like she was crazy, "How could you forget Hagrid of all people?"

"I don't know mate, have you seen who she hangs around with on a daily bases?" Seamus shook his head, "I think I'd forget me own mum if I was around such beautiful people every day."

The other Fourth Year boys snorted at him and Hermione just shook her head. Seamus shot them all a look, "What? You think I'm jokin'? Merlin, I have done nothin' but look at the Beauxbaton lot since they got here. Hell, I've even looked at the boys who came with them! They're all perfect."

Harry and Ron bust out laughing while Dean shoved the Irish boy, "That was way too much information you bloody git."

"Shut up, Dean." Seamus shoved the dark-skinned boy back before smiling to himself, "But you wanna know which one of them is the best?" (Hermione rolled her eyes, _I bet I know._ ) "The Beauxbatons' Champion. Delacour."

Harry immediately sobered up and shot her a look while Neville started choking on his spit. Hermione simply raised her eyebrow at the boy, "You mean Fleur?"

Seamus got a dreamy look in his eye, "Aye, Fleur. Fleur Delacour. Merlin, I could look at her all day, ya know? The way the sun bounces off of her silvery hair and makes her blue eyes sparkle like gems. I wonder if her skin is as soft as it looks."

Ron shot her a nervous glance which she could only grin at. Hermione had often wondered how jealous she would get at Hogwarts with people talking about her mate (she knew it would happen after all). She worried that she would involuntarily shift to her fur and pounce the stupid fool. However, now that it was actually happening, the brunette just wanted to laugh.

"Man, can you imagine how jealous those damn Slytherins would be if I had a bird like that on me arm?" Seamus shook his head, "I wonder what she sounds like when her legs are wrapped around your waist."

Harry and Ron both began choking and Hermione quickly snorted to cover her laugh. She was so tempted to say 'Like an angel', but figured that would be too much information to give to the poor boy.

Luckily, Seamus just thought her snort was her getting mad because he instantly went red and mumbled, "I'm sorry, 'Mione. Got a little carried away in me daydream."

Hermione waved him off, "It's alright, Seamus. Though, I hate to break it to you, she already has somebody."

The defeated look he gave her nearly broke her heart (not even close, really). Seamus looked at her pitifully and sighed, "Damn. Just me luck. Could you at least point the bastard out to me at dinner to see who I lost to? I want to shake his hand or somethin', congratulate him on bein' good enough for that goddess."

Tears were forming in her eyes as she fought the urge to laugh, "I could, but do you really want to wait till dinner?"

"Wait, you mean he's here?" Seamus immediately turned his attention to the brunette Beauxbatons boy walking a short distance ahead of them. The fact that Seamus thought that Fleur would go for him of all people made Hermione want to growl.

"Of course, Seamus," Hermione motioned at herself with a smirk, "I'm standing right here, after all."

Silence reigned through the group as they all came to a complete stop. Hermione could see the confusion clear as day on his face (Dean was staring at her wide-eyed at that point) before Seamus' mouth opened in shock. She raised her eyebrow at him as he opened and closed his mouth, trying to form words but failing miserably. He slowly brought a shaky hand up, pointing at her as his eyes widened.

As Seamus was on the verge of a breakdown (which Hermione found highly amusing) Dean spoke up, "Wait a minute, Hermione. Didn't you say that you changed your last name to Delacour?"

"Yea."

"YOU'RE MARRIED?!" Seamus shouted. A few of the Slytherins happened to be walking by at the time and looked at the group curiously. Hermione heard the high pitched giggles of Lavender and Parvati farther ahead of them and just sighed. _Might as well add fuel to the fire._

Hermione simply shrugged before turning and continuing to walk, "Eh…something like that."

She had only gone maybe a meter before footsteps pounded behind her and she was surrounded by Seamus, Neville, and Dean (Harry and Ron stood a few steps behind them looking at her in amusement). For the rest of the walk, Hermione was bombarded with questions about her and Fleur's relationship; when they met, HOW they met, how long they were together (she thought poor Seamus would get a nosebleed when she cheekily told them that she lived with Fleur).

As they came upon the congregated group of Fourth Years, Hermione turned around to face them, "Guys, please. I'll answer your questions later. We have class and I don't want everybody to listen in." She whirled back around and walked through the crowd. "Now, I want to see these 'Evil Skrewts' you were complaining about." The hunched form of Hagrid slowly stood up and turned around. "They can't be as bad as…you…said…" Hermione's eyes met the Half-Giant's and she felt all the air leave her chest.

A cold chill rushed up her spine and Hermione stood ramrod straight as she stared into the dark eyes of the Half-Giant in front of her. She felt a sharp pain in both of her palms and the brunette faintly realized that she had clenched her fists so hard that her nails had pierced her skin. A low growl formed in the back of her throat and the world seemed to slow down around her as she focused on the Man.

Suddenly, her blackthorn wand was in her hand and a spell was released before she knew what was happening. Hermione heard surprised shouts around her and growled as the Man brought his arm up to protect his face; the spell bouncing harmlessly off of the material of his jacket. The brunette rapidly fired a few more spells, slowly walking towards the Man as blinding rage burned through her. Her lips moved, beginning to form the name of a spell she had only read in a book, when she was tackled to the ground and her wand ripped from her hand.

"Bloody Hell, Hermione! What are you doing?!"

Hermione heard Ron shouting from somewhere as a body lay on top of her. His shouts sounded muffled to her, almost unrecognizable; the rushing of blood in her head so loud that it drowned out the world around her. She immediately began to struggle, trying to throw the person on top of her off. Multiple hands quickly attached themselves to both of her arms and shoulders, effectively pinning her to the ground. She heard herself snarl loudly at the Humans pinning her, knowing that she didn't want to hurt them, but realizing that she would in an instant if they didn't let her go.

"Dammit…STOP!"

Without a second thought, she quickly shifted to her fur and rolled over, dislodging the person on top of her and those pinning her paws. She heard startled shouts, loud, piercing screams, and something that sounded like 'Jesus Christ!' as she quickly leapt to her feet, but didn't pay them any attention. She never took her eyes off of the Giant in front of her.

With a loud roar, Hermione leapt forward and sprinted towards the Giant, whose eyes widened in shock. It took less than a few seconds for her to get close enough to leap at him, hoping to send him to the ground. Unfortunately, he had been prepared for her and easily tossed her away ( _underestimated his height_ , she winced briefly). She didn't pause in her attack as she landed on her feet and quickly leapt to her left, using the wooden hut as a jumping board, and tried to tackle him once more. She was successful this time and the Giant crashed to the ground, his arms bracing against her throat, making her unable to reach his neck.

Hermione roared in anger and leaned her entire weight down, kicking her back feet against the ground and clawing at his jacket. She felt a sting to her side as one of the other Humans cast a spell at her. The saber tooth quickly looked towards them, seeing that the familiar Man Cub with black hair and glasses had his wand leveled at her. She let loose a deep roar, making sure that her canines were on full display, before turning back to the Giant beneath her.

-oOo-

Fleur was sat bored in the Potion's lab, waiting for this 'Snape' to enter and begin the class. So far, she hadn't found Hogwarts to be too exciting. In Defense, 'Mad-Eye' Moody had almost seemed disinterested in teaching. He hadn't showed them any spells and had basically told them to read some chapter in the book. She, Amélie, and Théo (the other Sixth Year Beauxbatons student) had all exchanged looks before shrugging. _It's only for a year,_ Fleur reminded herself, _I can put up with this for a year._

Transfiguration had been a bit more interesting. McGonagall, she had found out, had taught her father when he had attended Hogwarts and had talked with her as the class worked on their human transfigurations. Unfortunately, Veela were not able to perform such spells due to their unique physiques. Fleur had had to blame her quarter-Veela heritage (the thought enraged her still) when she told McGonagall that she couldn't participate. This led to the older Witch telling her stories of her father while he was in school.

She had felt sorry for Hermione all day as she felt her mate's weariness and boredom. Seeing her miserable look during lunch almost caused Fleur to drag her back to the carriage to relax. The poor girl had been bored back in Beauxbatons and Fleur had (foolishly, she now realized) thought that it had been because Hogwarts had been so much more exciting. She just hoped that these Hogwarts professors would help keep her mate entertained as the year dragged on.

" _So, what do you think this 'Snape' is like?_ **"** Amélie whispered to her right, interrupting her thoughts.

" _I heard that he is the most brilliant professor in all of Hogwarts._ **"** Théo whispered from her left, **"** _Some of the students were saying that he is a genius and they have learned so much from him in their years here._ **"**

Fleur snorted, **"** _That is the complete opposite of the rumors I have heard. Hermione's friends said that he was a slimy, nasty man who yelled at them for breathing too hard. I was warned to be careful on what I say around him._ **"**

" _Huh?_ **"** Théo leaned back in thought, **"** _I wonder why I heard something different._ **"**

" _I guess it just depends on which colored student you talk to. The Reds definitely do not like him._ **"** Amélie shrugged.

" _Gryffindor._ **"** Fleur corrected her and received a playful shove in return.

" _Maybe that is it. I talked to a few Greens before class and that is what they said._ **"** Théo pointed over to a group of glaring girls in the back of the class.

Amélie chuckled, **"** _I do not think they like us too much either._ **"**

Suddenly, the door to the classroom slammed open and Professor Snape stalked down the aisles. Fleur could not help but chuckle slightly at the dramatic entrance. She heard a horrified gasp behind her as the black haired man whirled around and glared at her.

"Is there a problem, Miss Delacour?" A sneer was sent her way.

She smiled at him, "Non, Professor. Zere is no problem."

The man looked like he was going to say something more before turning away and moving to the chalkboard. He immediately started lecturing on the Polyjuice Potion without any introduction and never bothered putting anything on the chalkboard. _What is it with these Hogwart's Professors and human transfiguration?_ she thought. Fleur heard quills begin scratching as the students around her frantically took notes and rolled her eyes as she placed the tip of her quill to the paper.

A blast of rage being sent towards her caused the quill in her hand to snap and the tip to gouge through the parchment and table underneath. Fleur stared down in shock as her fist clenched involuntarily, the broken feather shaking slightly. Another burst of rage, this time with a hint of fear, being sent along the Bond took her breath away.

 **Gogogogogo!** The Veela shouted, rising to the surface and forcing her to stand, **Hermione needs us. NOW!**

Fleur did not hear Snape ordering her to sit back down or Amélie asking her what was wrong. All eyes were on her as she tripped slightly over her chair and rushed to the door, slamming it open with all of her strength. As soon as she was out in the hallway, the Veela gave her the strength she needed as she ran through the corridors, sprinting as fast as she could. Fleur allowed her instincts to guide her as she raced around corners blindly.

She detected footsteps following her, but the Veela told her it was their Second, ready to back them up in a moment's notice. Fleur sent a quick thanks to all the deities that Amélie had come to Hogwarts with them as they burst through the front door.

The Hogwarts lands raced past them as they ran down a hill towards a wooden hut. She saw students racing past her, some looking frantic and scared, which made her quicken her pace. The scene they came upon was one that Fleur never expected.

A crowd of students (those who had stupidly remained) were surrounding the saber tooth and a very large, very hairy man. Fleur noticed that the man seemed winded and his shirt was covered in scratches and blood. Hermione (Fleur felt herself grow angry at the girl for going against her orders) was snarling at the man, her long fangs bared as she paced back and forth angrily. The saber tooth seemed to be limping slightly which caused the blonde to panic slightly.

Suddenly, Fleur sensed the large cat tensing her muscles, preparing to strike again. Before she had a chance, the Veela took control and threw them in the way, standing before Hermione with their arms outstretched. Fleur felt Amélie take a position behind her, prepared to defend her back in case the man decided to attack.

Hermione roared at her, pushing anger and determination along the Bond. This caused Fleur's eyes to narrow ( _there is something more going on here_ ). The saber tooth crouched low, preparing to leap and Fleur stepped forward and shouted, **"Stop!"**

The blonde saw the cat's ears fall back before roaring again, this time a hint of fear was pushed towards her. Fleur shook her head while taking another step, **"Stop this, Hermione. There is no need to attack this man."**

Another burst of anger and a snarl was her answer. Hermione was in an almost killing rage and Fleur could not imagine what had caused it. She ( **You idiot!** the Veela screeched at her) took her eyes off of her enraged mate and looked at the congregated students. Fleur looked curiously at Harry, Ron, and Neville who all had their wands drawn and pointed at the saber tooth. Harry seemed to have tears in his eyes as he glanced between the cat and the large man.

While her attention was on the three boys, Hermione quickly leapt around her and tried to tackle the man again. It was only thanks to the quick reflexes of the Veela that caused Fleur to turn and catch the feline around her neck, throwing herself on her back before using her weight and momentum to pull Hermione off of her feet.

Fleur immediately wrapped her legs around the cat's waist, remembering how the Veela contained the saber tooth when she went into heat, and wrapped a hand around the silver collar.

" **STOP!"** Both her and the Veela roared, hoping that their voice would break through the rage.

Luckily, the saber tooth stopped struggling and laid still, ears twitched back towards her as she panted lightly. A low growl could be heard with each exhale of breath, but Hermione followed her order.

Fleur, while keeping one hand firmly around the collar, sat up straight while pushing as much Thrall towards the cat to try and calm her down. She did not have time to wonder if it worked before approaching footsteps caught her attention.

The blonde whipped her wand out and towards Harry, who was cautiously approaching them. The Boy-Who-Lived put his hands up and backed away some, his eyes wide and darting between her, Hermione, and the giant man.

"What 'appened, 'arry?" Fleur said through clenched teeth, she herself winded from the long sprint and containing the enraged feline.

Harry shook his head rapidly before focusing on the giant man. Fleur felt the Veela grow enraged over the lack of answers and allowed it to take control for a moment.

"What 'appened?!" it asked a little more forcefully, putting a dangerous edge to its voice. **Somebody better start talking soon,** it thought and Fleur could not help but agree.

" _Fleur, something tells me that it was this man who caused this._ **"** Amélie called out over her shoulder.

Fleur turned her attention towards the man ( _he must have Giant blood in him_ , she thought sourly) and watched as he fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face and into his beard as he stared at the big cat below her sadly. She saw his mouth moving, but could not hear the words.

" _What is he saying?_ **"**

Amélie walked cautiously towards him before furrowing her brow, **"** _It sounds like he is repeating 'I am sorry' over and over._ **"**

"I'll tell you what happened, Delacour." A voice sneered. Fleur looked up to see Draco glaring at her, "The beast lost control and attacked the half-breed. Would've killed him too if he hadn't had Dragon Leather on." The boy quickly glanced between them and the forest. "Just wait until my Father hears about this, they will have her head for attacking a professor."

Fleur understood him clearly, 'Get her out of here'.

She heard somebody say something about how Hermione would probably be rewarded for trying to get rid of a half-breed but paid them no attention. Fleur stood up and tugged lightly on the collar in her hand, ensuring that Hermione stood up as well. The saber tooth immediately buried her face into the blonde's chest producing a strange mix of groaning and growling to show her displeasure and sorrow. Fleur felt the rage still present in her mate, but it was now mixed with so much fear that it nearly broke her heart.

The blonde put both hands underneath the furry head and pulled up so their eyes met. Ears twitched forward as she sighed, **"You need to leave, Hermione. Into the woods before any professors come."**

A groan was her response and Fleur shook her head, **"I do not care at this moment why you attacked him. I will deal with that later. Right now, I need to clean up this mess and make sure he is not harmed."**

Hermione growled lowly causing Fleur to swat her on the head. **"Stop that. As I said, I will deal with you later. Go into the woods and try to calm down. I will find you when I can."**

The saber tooth growled once more before ripping her head away and stalking into the forest. As she passed by the half-Giant (who still watched her sadly), Hermione crouched low and snarled at him. Fleur felt a growl of her own forming, **"Hermione, I said to leave. Now."** With a final glance back, Hermione bounded into the Forest, her brown/amber fur causing her to quickly disappear into the trees.

Silence remained after Hermione had left and Fleur felt it weigh down upon her. The combined stress of worrying about Hermione's well-being, wondering if the half-Giant would be alright, and the Veela demanding they forget about him entirely caused a headache to quickly form. Fleur argued with it, saying that, for Hermione's safety, they HAD to make sure he was alright. At least, long enough to understand why their mate attacked.

However, before she had a chance to walk towards the half-Giant and ask if he was alright, the sound of footsteps and billowing cloaks approaching them caused her to turn her head. The blonde watched as Professor McGonagall, followed closely by a few students, swiftly approached the downed man and gripped his shoulders.

She did not get a chance to ask any questions (Fleur could see her looking at the clawed mess of the man's stomach) before he began wailing, "Professor, she remembers! Merlin, she remembers me and 's jus' as bad as before."

Fleur's hand clenched tightly around her wand as she saw him wail into the professor's robe, dwarfing the smaller woman even when he was on his knees. The blonde felt her nostrils flair as McGonagall quickly sucked in air before looking around her, as if expecting to see somebody ( _or something_ ). Finally, McGonagall looked directly at Fleur, their eyes meeting, and seemed to startle back slightly. **She knows something** , the Veela growled at her, rising closely to the surface as it prepared itself.

Suddenly, a loud roar from the Forest broke the silence around them. Fleur heard several students shriek and bellow from shock and it sounded as if somebody fell over. The half-Giant flinched slightly and Amélie looked towards the direction of the noise in alarm. The only ones who did not react were Fleur and McGonagall, each staring at the other intently.

Fleur narrowed her eyes and took a step forward, intent on interrogating the older Witch when McGonagall shook her head. The Scottish woman dragged the man to his feet and wrapped an arm around his waist before looking at the congregated students, "Alright, I think Care of Magical Creatures is cancelled for today. All of you return to the castle until your next class. Miss Labine, I believe you are being missed in Potions at this moment, correct?"

Amélie looked towards Fleur for a moment before nodding, "Oui, Professor."

"Then I think you should be returning, don't you?"

Fleur nodded towards her when Amélie looked at her questioningly. The redhead nodded her understanding and pocketed her wand, "Oui, Professor. I shall return to Potions." Fleur placed her hand on the other Veela's shoulder in thanks as she walked past.

"Miss Delacour, Mister Potter, and Mister Weasley," McGonagall called out to them as she and the half-Giant started shuffling forward, "if you would all care to follow me. We will drop Hagrid off at the Hospital Wing to get treated and then discuss what happened in the Headmaster's office."

Another roar emerged from the Forest which caused Hagrid to burst into tears once more. Fleur turned her attention to the Forest, where she felt her mate's rage, sorrow, and fear, and knew that there was nothing she could do about it at this point.

 **This is going to be a long fucking year,** the Veela growled as they trailed behind the two professors and a very concerned Harry and Ron.

Fleur could not help but agree.

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

 **AN:** Don't have much to say really. Hope you all enjoy.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own HP

-xXx-

Fleur stared out the window in the Headmaster's office, wondering if Hermione was alright. Her mate had long since calmed down (if Fleur did not know any better, she would say the girl had fallen asleep). She could not wait for these Magicals to decide on what to do so she could go to Hermione and find out exactly what happened. She had a theory and, if she was correct, this school year just got a lot more difficult.

Harry and Ron had been dismissed after they had told the story of Hermione attacking Hagrid unprovoked. Fleur had been surprised when they had left so easily, expecting them to put up more of a fight to defend Hermione. _Guess they were not as good of friends as I thought,_ Fleur growled to herself as they had given her a parting look before leaving.

Truthfully though, she realized that there was not much they could do. The two boys were simply that; children. Yes, they are friends ( _or were friends_ ) with Hermione, but they should not have a say in her punishment. Only Fleur could try and defend her mate from the Magicals.

Speaking of, the six congregated adults had been arguing over her punishment for forever it seemed. Snape (why he had been called in, Fleur would never know) seemed to be adamant that Hermione be expelled and sent back to France immediately. He said that she put everybody in danger for not being able to control the beast inside. Fleur had snorted and argued that she and the cat were one in the same which made Snape question Hermione's mental state.

Maxime, who looked seconds away from agreeing with Snape, kept bringing up Hermione's attack on Oris in her Second Year. She said that it was only out of love for the Delacour's that she allowed the girl to stay in the school for as long as she did and that she should probably expel the girl now before anybody else gets hurt. Fleur knew the truth, however. The half-Giantess's threat towards Hermione was the only thing stopping Fleur from telling the British officials the truth about both her heritage and why she was in the Tournament. Maxime could not send the girl away for fear of losing the Tournament, her job, and all respect she had gained over the years. Fleur smirked as she realized how trapped Maxime must feel at the moment.

Surprisingly, it was Hagrid (the man had insisted that he sit in on the meeting after simply getting a few bandages) who came to Hermione's defense the most. He was adamant that Hermione remain in school and even said that she did not deserve to be punished at all. The man had pleaded with Maxime, saying that the attack was his fault and that Hermione was just following instinct. That confession caused both her and Maxime's eyes to narrow.

It was just unfortunate that Fleur could not ask what he had done to send her mate into such a rage. Anytime she opened her mouth to speak, Dumbledore sent her a look that begged her to remain quiet. That alone would not have stopped her (she was still wary of what the Marauders thought of the man), but it was the Veela begging her to do the same that brought her up short. It wanted to see what Dumbledore was going to do about the situation.

Just as Snape, Maxime, and Hagrid were about to go in another tirade, Dumbledore cleared his throat. "I believe we have already had this discussion before, wouldn't you all agree? Maxime, I know that Miss Delacour is your student and you are the deciding factor on how she should be punished, but perhaps I can make a suggestion."

"Please, Dumbledore, I would appreciate your zoughts on zee matter." Maxime motioned for him to continue.

"Good. Now, we can all agree that Miss Delacour was out of line. Her attack was unprovoked and unnecessary."

Hagrid shook his head, "But Professor Dumbledore, sir. It was my fault! The girl was jus' followin' instinct and I can' allow her to be punished fer it."

"I know you mean well Hagrid and I know you feel guilty," ( **That is three people who knows the truth,** the Veela whispered) "but the fact of the matter remains. Miss Delacour attacked you in front of a large group of witnesses. However," the old Wizard stood up and walked around his desk, "Maxime, Hagrid does say that he doesn't blame the girl. How could we expel a student when her victim claims that she is innocent?"

"He is obviously delusional." Snape drawled, "Perhaps he hit his head when he was tackled to the ground and he should go back to Madame Pomphrey to get examined."

"I ain' delusional, Professor." Hagrid grumbled.

"Dumbledore, you say she should not be expelled, but zere still should be some kind of punishment, oui?" Maxime looked at him curiously, "I cannot let zis type of be'avior go unchecked any furzer. I am ashamed zat I let it go on for this long."

Fleur growled deeply in her throat. _She speaks as if Hermione has been attacking people ever since she came to Beauxbatons._

Dumbledore waved his hand, "Now, Olympe, Miss Delacour here has explained what happened with that boy a few years back. The attack was provoked and Miss Delacour has been a shining student ever since, correct?" Maxime grumbled a bit, but agreed. "Good. Now since this is her first true…um…incident, I suggest simply giving the girl a few months of detention with one of our professors since I'm sure you are incredibly busy. In fact, Minerva, would you be available to supervise Miss Delacour's detention every night for say…three months?"

Fleur looked over at the Scottish Witch suspiciously. She could not help but think that everybody had been played, quite expertly if she said so herself, into allowing Hermione to get off lightly and be put back into the hands of the people who knew the truth behind the attack. The fact that McGonagall quickly agreed confirmed her thoughts.

"Very good," Dumbledore clapped his hands together and looked towards the Beauxbaton's Headmistress, "does this sound agreeable to you, Olympe?"

Maxime gave her a brief, hesitant look before nodding, "Oui, zat sounds reasonable. Merci, Dumbledore for zee suggestion."

"I'm glad we all found an agreeable solution. Miss Delacour will serve detention with Minerva, let's say, three nights a week? For three months?" Dumbledore beamed as Maxime and McGonagall both nodded. Hagrid let out a sigh of relief and Snape simply sneered. "Excellent! Now, Hagrid, I believe you should be getting back to the Hospital Wing. I am afraid, my friend, that those scratches are deeper than you think."

"I will walk you, Monsieur 'agrid," Maxime smiled at the blushing half-Giant, "I am interested in 'earing 'ow you stayed so brave with such a beast trying to kill you."

Fleur rolled her eyes at her Headmistress's flirtations while Hagrid just stuttered out a bashful 'It wasn' notin' really' as they walked out of the office. The blonde turned her attention back to the four Hogwarts Professors and blanched as she saw Dumbledore's sparkling eyes directed at her.

"Now then, Miss Delacour, it is safe to assume that you are the only one who can keep her calm if this were to happen again."

"Oui, 'eadmaster." Fleur looked at the other three Magicals warily.

"And how, may I ask, is that?" Snape raised an eyebrow, "Surely a quarter-Veela such as yourself does not have the same abilities as your full-blooded Sisters."

Fleur growled lowly before turning her attention back to Dumbledore, ignoring the slimy Wizard, "What is your suggestion, 'eadmaster. Wiz me stuck in zis Tournament, she cannot go back to France where she would be safe and I cannot be around 'er zroughout zee day for classes. I can always do what I did today, but I may not make it zere in time if zey are alone again."

Dumbeldore sighed and moved to sit back in his chair, "Yes, it is rather unfortunate that you were chosen to be the Champion. This decision would've been a lot easier had it been one of your classmates." Fleur narrowed her eyes, "However, as long as you are with her whenever you go to and from the castle and during meal times, I think we can prevent them from being alone together. Now, obviously, Miss Delacour will be pulled from Care of Magical Creatures, but I am hesitant to give her a free break in case she decides to go to the Forest during that time. Severus, would you be so kind as to…"

"Absolutely not!" Snape glared at the Headmaster, "I will not allow an untamed beast let loose in my Potions lab. I am hesitant to allow her in my class at all, but it is a requirement and I am forced to."

McGonagall rolled her eyes at the man, "She is not an untamed beast, Severus."

Suddenly, the gruff voice of the fourth professor spoke up, "I'll take her in Albus. Might as well redirect that anger to something useful."

Fleur looked over to Moody (another teacher that she was confused about why he was called) with distrust. There was something about him that seemed sinister, as if he were hiding something. What it was though, she could not describe. She did not want to think herself as prejudiced in anyway, but she shuddered every time the man's eye was upon her, just as it was now.

"Are you sure, Alastor? I would hate to take up your time on such a small matter."

"Aye, I'm sure. I can't say that I haven't been interested in the girl since reading Beauxbaton's report on her. The Defense professor there says that she is practically a protégé and has been dueling since her Second Year. Am I right, Delacour?"

"Er…oui, Professor. She 'as been a member of our Dueling Club since she started school."

"Good. Since we don't have a 'Dueling Club' in Hogwarts, it's safe to say that she would be bored out of her mind in my class. In my experience, boredom can cause anger and destruction faster than anything else. I'm probably the only professor that can wear her out rather quickly and she might learn something in the process. At least, that is, if Delacour here permits it."

Fleur looked at the gruff man for a long time, trying to figure out if he had some other reason for wanting Hermione's attention. The Veela was wary around him and begged her to be cautious, but they could not find anything wrong with this suggestion. Therefore, she simply shrugged, "I see no problem in zis. 'ermione enjoys Defense probably more zan any ozer class. I am sure she will enjoy zee extra practice and zee teachings of such a great Auror as yourself."

"Excellent. I couldn't have thought of a better placement myself. Now, let's put this nasty business behind us and focus on the coming days. I thank you for your help and cooperation, Miss Delacour." Dumbledore smiled at her before waving his hand. "You are free to return to class."

Fleur looked behind her to see the office door opening before turning back to the older Wizard, shaking her head. " 'eadmaster, I am not leaving until I know zee truz on why 'ermione attacked zat man."

"Why do you think I know, Miss Delacour? Perhaps you should ask her."

"I know zat you know. Just as I know zat she knows and zat 'Professor' Snape and Professor Moody are clueless as to what is going on." Fleur nodded at McGonagall and Moody before sneering at Snape, " 'ermione would not attack 'im unless provoked or she felt zreatened. I know 'er feelings and I know she is terrified of 'im and I want to know why."

Dumbledore sighed deeply before looking at her, "I cannot tell you that Miss Delacour." Fleur felt the Veela rise close to the surface before he put his hand out, signaling peace, "It is not because you do not need to know or that the information is unimportant, but because I made a vow a long time ago not to discuss it with anybody who does not know the truth."

"You made a vow?" Fleur asked in disbelief.

"Yes, Miss Delacour, a vow."

Fleur was silent for a moment before shooting to her feet, "Do you take me for a fool?! Zis is a matter of life and deaz! If she were to attack 'im again, zere is no garuntee zat I can be zere to stop 'er. It took nearly all of my strength to do so today wizout giving myself away." She did not care that she just admitted to these Hogwarts' professors of Maxime's lie, Hermione was more important. "Next time, she may kill 'im before I even get zere. And zen what? She would be locked in a cage, or worse, and zee future of my Clan is placed into jeopardy. I cannot risk 'er or zem because of a vow," she sneered at him, "zat you made to protect 'im."

Silence reigned after she stopped speaking. The Veela was close to the surface and Fleur could feel the feathers itching to break free. Her hands were curled, preparing for talons to spring forward and defend her from the four Magicals in the room. Snape opened his mouth, surely to yell at her for lack of respect or something as stupid, before Dumbledore sighed. "No, Miss Delacour, I do not take you for a fool. I take you for a Veela. A creature that will defend those they love with all of their might. It is for that reason, that I cannot break my vow."

The man stood up once more and placed his hands on his desk. "I can protect your mate more if I do not tell you why she attacked. You see, if I broke my vow, then you and your Clan would demand retribution and word would spread of the attack here today. British officials would hear about it and come take her away, ensuring that she could never leave Britain without a fight."

"And what makes you zink zat I do not already know zee truz?" Fleur cocked her head to the side as she examined the Headmaster.

"I'm positive that you think you know, but what you know isn't all there is to the story." Dumbledore smiled slightly at her and tapped a finger to his temple, "Memories have a tendency to morph themselves towards the stronger emotion the longer they are left dormant, wouldn't you agree?" Fleur narrowed her eyes at him. "Now, I think it is time you go find Hermione and ensure that she is alright, don't you?"

Fleur glared at the Headmaster before raising her chin defiantly, "Zis is not over, 'eadmaster."

Dumbledore simply smiled at her, "Of course not, Miss Delacour. Have a good day."

Fleur turned and stalked out of room, interested in seeing what Hermione had to say about the event. The older Wizard's parting 'And good luck with the Tournament' caused her to grit her teeth.

-oOo-

"Harry, slow down mate. I doubt Hermione's going anywhere, anytime soon."

"No Ron, she lied to us and I want to know why." Harry shook his head and hurried his pace as the edge of the Forbidden Forest came into sight. "Not only did she lie, but she also attacked Hagrid of all people. Hagrid!" Harry shook his head, "It doesn't make sense."

"Did you see her face though?" Neville panted, "It was like she was face-to-face with Voldemort himself with no back up and a broken wand. I'm telling you, she was scared out of her mind when she saw him."

Ron gasped for air as they entered the Forest, "And besides that, she never lied to us. She just never told us that she was already an Animagus with a wicked awesome form. Merlin, did you see the size of her?" Ron shook his head, "And those teeth! No wonder her ring took on that shape."

"She isn't an Animagus," Harry grounded out. He looked around them, hoping to see some indication on where the saber tooth ( _a bloody saber tooth!_ he shook his head in wonder) had went.

"What makes you say that?"

Harry smiled bitterly as he saw some freshly broken twigs and took off in that direction, "Because, Animagi need a wand to transform into their animal forms. Remember Wormtail? It was only after he had snatched Neville's wand that he was able to escape by turning into the rat. Before then, he was trapped. Hermione didn't have her wand when she transformed."

Neville shook his head, "But wasn't Sirius able to change to Padfoot without a wand while he was in Azkaban?"

"Yes," Harry bent down to touch a rather large paw print. He had watched enough 'Crocodile Hunter' over Dudley's shoulder to know how to track something (or at least he hoped he was doing it right). "but Sirius also had a lot of built up magic from not using it for twelve years. Even then, he said he was so tired that he had to wait a few days before escaping."

"And Hermione was casting spells before then." Ron muttered, "There's no way she could have that kind of magical power to be able to cast spells that fast and then transform wandlessly."

"She wasn't only casting spells, Ron."

"She was casting them silently." Neville breathed in wonder. Harry grimaced while Ron sucked in a breath. All three boys were silent for a moment as they walked further into the Forest, Harry turning occasionally as he saw another paw print or snapped branch.

"So, what is she?" Ron asked.

Harry shook his head as they fought their way through a bush, "I don't know, but I'm going to find out." He suddenly stopped and whirled around to face the other two. "Why didn't she tell us? It's not like we weren't going to accept her for who she was. I mean, Lupin is a werewolf for Merlin's sake!"

"According to Fleur, a poisoned werewolf at that." Neville muttered.

"Exactly! And Fleur! God, she's a bloody Veela and we accepted her with open arms." Harry ran his fingers through his hair in frustration, "It's not like we would've turned our backs on her. We would've asked questions, Ron would've probably mentioned how bloody cool being a saber tooth is, and we would've moved on." He turned and kicked a rock with all of his might, "Bloody Hell!"

"So, that's what she is." An airy voice suddenly said. All three boys whirled around and aimed their wands at the stranger only to stop short at the sight. There, looking sound asleep and oblivious to the world, was Hermione. The saber tooth was sprawled out on the ground, her head lightly resting against the leg of a small, blonde girl who was sitting against a tree. Harry cocked his head to the side as he watched the girl weave flowers into the saber tooth's fur.

"Merlin, Luna." Ron breathed out as he put away his wand, "You scared us."

The blonde looked up and cocked her head to the side. Harry wasn't sure if she was looking at them or the air around them, her eyes seemed unfocused and far away. "I am sorry, Ronald. I just couldn't help but overhear you talking and I was surprised that you knew her form." Luna placed another flower into the cat's fur and smiled, "I have never seen a creature like this before and I was curious."

Ron and Neville looked towards Harry, who just shrugged, "The only reason I know what she is is because Dudley liked dinosaurs when we were little. He liked to chase me with the biggest and meanest looking ones and the saber tooth was one of his favorites."

"What is a dinosaur, Harry Potter?" Luna turned her strange, blue eyes onto him.

"Erm…" he rubbed the back of his neck and looked up at the sky, "They're kinda like dragons? Only most didn't have wings and they definitely didn't breathe fire. Muggles say they went extinct a really long time ago."

Ron snorted, "Obviously not since we're looking at one right now."

"No, no. Saber tooths weren't dinosaurs. They were mammals which were part of the Ice Age. They came sometime after dinosaurs. Although," Harry looked at the sleeping cat in wonder, "they're supposed to be extinct too."

Neville shook his head and moved to sit down by Luna and Hermione, "None of that matters. What I want to know is how you got her to calm down, Luna, was it? Last we saw, she was pissed off." The boy reached his hand out slowly to touch the sleeping cat.

Luna quickly moved and smacked his hand away, lifting an eyebrow at his offended expression. "We do not have permission to touch her. And as for calming her down, Neville Longbottom, I did not do anything. I was simply sitting her, enjoying the Forest, when she came charging through, chasing Thestrals. I called out to her, warned her that they did not appreciate being chased and she roared at me." Luna shrugged as Harry and Ron also sat down, "I told her that she had a very scary roar and I was rather impressed. After that, she came over and asked me who I was."

"She asked you? You mean she shifted back?" Harry questioned.

"She can shift into something else?" Luna cocked her head to the side.

Ron looked at her curiously, "Er…yes? She's originally a human…like us."

Luna looked down at the sleeping saber tooth and ran her fingers above her head. It looked like she was feeling for something, but what, Harry was unsure. Eventually, the blonde shook her head and looked back up at them, "I do not think she's originally human. I think she's originally cat and the human is her shifted form."

The boys all looked at each other curiously. _I can't wait for Hermione to wake up,_ Harry thought, _I have so many questions for her._ The Boy-Who-Lived shook his head, "I guess that doesn't matter at this point. You said she asked you who you were while she was still a cat?"

"Mmhmm." Luna looked back at him and smiled faintly, "She came over here where I was sat and asked me who I was. So I told her I was Luna Lovegood. She didn't seem to recognize the name so I told her about my daddy and the Quibbler and all the adventures we go on and she fell asleep."

Harry just looked at her curiously, unsure what to say. Neville had his eyes squinted in confusion while Ron just shook his head and said, "Wait, wait, wait. Hold up. So Hermione, who is currently a saber tooth?" He looked to Harry for confirmation. When the black haired boy nodded faintly, he continued, "Who is currently a saber tooth and was on a destructive rampage before, was chasing Thestrals, which by the way are what?"

"Thestrals are horses with great, leathery wings and scales covering their body." Luna said with a smile, "They pull the carriages at the beginning of every school year."

"Um, Luna." Neville looked at the other two boys briefly before turning back to the girl, "The carriages pull themselves. Their enchanted that way."

"Oh no, Thestrals pull the carriages. They are just invisible to most people."

There was another moment of silence as they all digested that information. Harry watched Ron nod his head sarcastically, "Ok…alright. So, Hermione was chasing a group of invisible Thestrals when you told her that they didn't like being chased."

"I don't much like the name 'Hermione'." Luna interrupted. "She does not seem like a 'Hermione' to me. More like a…a 'Maya'. Its more fitting, I think."

Ron had his head in his hands at this point, "Alright, we will call her Maya. Anyways, you told her, Maya, a rampaging and pissed off saber tooth, that Thestrals didn't like being chased and she roared at you. Instead of reacting like a normal person, you told her that her roar was rather impressive and just went on doing whatever you were doing. Hermione…er…Maya, who was still in cat form, then asked you who you were and you told her all about you and your father's field trips and she fell asleep?"

Luna hummed again and placed another flower into Hermione's fur, "Yes, Ronald, that is what I said."

Ron rubbed his face in aggravation while Harry just shook his head, "Luna, that doesn't make any sense."

"How so?"

"Her-uh-Maya, had just attacked Hagrid and was pissed off and dangerous." Neville leaned forward, "We don't understand how she could go from that to calm and asleep within a few moments."

"She attacked Mister Hagrid?"

"Yes and she woulda killed him had it not been for his Dragon Leather jacket."

"Oh no," Luna muttered. "Why would she do that?"

Harry sighed, "We don't know. That's why we were out here looking for her. We were hoping that she would tell us."

"I'm sorry, Harry Potter, but I do not think she will wake up anytime soon."

"Why is that, Luna?"

"Well, before she went to sleep, she cried out for a flower. It sounded like she had lost it. I promised to find the flower she was looking for and she would wake up once it had been found." Luna repositioned one of the flowers in the saber tooth's fur, "I haven't had much luck, I'm afraid."

Ron snickered slightly while Neville shook his head, "She asked for a flower?"

"Why yes, I thought it quite strange myself, but we are all strange from time to time."

"Luna," Harry blinked his eyes rapidly before shaking his head, "do you mean she called out for Fleur?"

Luna smirked at him, as if he was teasing her, "Yes Harry. A flower is what she called out for and a flower I have been trying to find, but I'm afraid she's wanting a specific type and not just any regular old flower."

"No, Luna…Fleur is a person, not a flower. She's Maya's soulmate."

"Oh." Luna looked down curiously at the sleeping saber tooth, "That makes sense…I'm afraid I can't find her from my position."

Ron shook his head, "No, I doubt you can. I guess we're gonna be sitting here until Fleur gets done talking with the professors."

Harry and Neville both sighed while Luna smiled happily at them, "I do not mind! I always enjoy company. Most people make fun of me and take my things, but you guys haven't done that yet, so that makes me happy." Harry and Ron exchanged a glance. "Since I answered your questions about Maya, maybe you could tell me about those rings you all are wearing? They are quite lovely."

A smack resounded throughout the Forest as Neville slapped his palm against his forehead. Ron immediately started choking while Harry just stared at the dreamy eyed blonde in bewilderment.

 _Get here soon Fleur,_ the Boy-Who-Lived quickly thought, praying that the Veela was on her way that very moment.

"Was it something I said?" Luna looked around at the three boys.

 _For the love of Merlin, get here soon._

-oOo-

Fleur felt herself grow weary as she walked out of the front door and headed down the hill towards the Forbidden Forest. She and her Sisters had only been at Hogwarts for three days and already it felt like a lifetime. She was almost scared to see what tomorrow would bring, considering that every day since they got here has been some sort of adventure or event.

The Veela wanted nothing more than to break free and fly over the Forest, relieve some of the tension and stress they felt. It was just unfortunate that they could not do that because of Maxime's lie. _It would be just our luck that somebody would spot us from one of Hogwarts' towers,_ Fleur tried to reason with it, _then our secret would be out, we would be locked up, and nobody would be there to protect Hermione or our Sisters._ The Veela grumbled, but agreed with her, vowing to spend the entire summer in its own form once they were back in France. Fleur simply shook her head and trudged through the Forest.

The emotions she was sensing from Hermione indicated that the girl was, in fact, asleep. A rough sleep, to say the least, but asleep none the less. Fleur grimaced as a sharp spike of fear rose before calming slowly and quickened her pace in the direction she felt her mate.

As she passed through a rather large thicket, Fleur suddenly stopped and looked down to see a line of mushrooms and flowers growing oddly. A thick haze of magic surrounded the area and the blonde felt wary and at peace all at once.

" 'ello?" She called out, hoping to find the person responsible for the ring, "Is anybody zere?"

"Fleur?" A rather familiar voice called out. She heard some rustling and suddenly Ron was standing before her, red faced and smudged with dirt.

Fleur shook her head in shock, "Ron? What are you doing 'ere?"

"We came to find Maya and get some answers on why she attacked Hagrid." The boy rubbed the back of his neck, "Been a bit of a time, really, since we had to wait on you."

"You were waiting on me?" the blonde questioned before shaking her head, "Zat does not matter. Where is zee Fae responsible for zis ring?"

Ron squinted his eyes in confusion and whispered, "Fae?"

A light voice suddenly called out, "Oh! That would be me. I would come out to meet you, but I am rather busy at the moment. You may freely cross."

Fleur shook her head at the oddness of the situation and delicately stepped over the line of mushrooms and flowers, feeling the powerful magic greet her warmly. She looked towards Ron, who shook his head and walked away, muttering something about creatures and 'that explains so much'.

"So you're the 'flower' we have been waiting on."

Fleur looked on in amusement as Harry and Neville were sat around a young blonde, looking lost, worn out, and happy all at once. A twinge of love coming through the Bond caused her to smile down at the sleeping saber tooth fondly.

"Oui, Cousin, I am zee 'flower'. I zank you for looking after my mate for me."

"Wait, Cousin?" Harry looked between her and the girl in confusion.

"Very distant relations, Harry Potter." The girl winked at her before placing a flower in Hermione's fur. "It's more of a running joke at this point really."

"Oui, it is." Fleur moved to sit beside the blonde, smiling as the fear and anger slowly left Hermione and replaced itself with calm and love.

"I'm Luna, by the way."

"Fleur, but I zink you already know zat."

"Yep, the boys here told me about you. Speaking of." Luna bent down towards the saber tooth, "Maya, I found your flower. You can wake up now."

The saber tooth twitched her ears and groaned, raising her head slowly and looking around. Fleur watched in amusement as Hermione looked at her, chuffed, and stood up fully. The cat stretched, causing the boys to all suck in a breath at seeing the extended claws, before padding over to her, and flopping back down, her large head in Fleur's lap. Another groan was produced before Hermione started humming, the calm of sleep returning.

Fleur chuckled lightly as Luna shook her head. "Oh dear…I'm sorry, Cousin. The magic of flowers was a little too much I'm afraid."

"It is alright, Luna. Somezing tells me zat sleep is zee best zing for 'er. It will 'elp 'er gazer 'er zoughts and examine zee events."

"Excuse me!" Ron waved his hands wildly in the air, "Could either one of you tell us what's going on?! I thought Hermione would wake up once Fleur got here and we could figure out why she attacked Hagrid."

"And she could explain to us why she felt it important not to tell us she was a bloody saber tooth." Fleur flinched slightly at the Boy-Who-Lived's glare.

"I might not have been as truthful with you guys before." Luna looked at the ground sheepishly. "You see, when Maya stepped into my ring, I felt how angry and scared she was and I wanted her to calm down. I asked her what would calm her down and she simply said 'Fleur'. So, I promised that Fleur would be here soon and that I would tell her stories in the meantime. As I told my stories, I asked the magic to help calm her down. It said to surround her with her love and she would be calm. So, once she came over to sit with me, I began putting flowers in her fur and the magic urged her to sleep, promising that she would wake up when it felt she was ready to face the world." Luna looked towards Fleur, who just shrugged, "Obviously, it isn't ready for her to be awake yet."

Harry just looked at the blonde in confusion, "Luna…what?"

"Wait. Did you use Fae magic on us too?" Ron looked at Luna curiously.

"Fae?" Harry asked. Fleur just shook her head at the boys. _They have no idea what the world is really like, do they?_

Luna had the decency to wince, "Sort of. You were angry at Maya for attacking Hagrid, but I knew that nothing could be done about it at this point. So, I asked the magic to keep you calm as well and it told me to keep you talking about other things. That is why I asked about your rings and the Marauders."

"You know about zee Marauders?" Fleur looked at Luna curiously, but could not say she was shocked. Fae folk gathered information differently from the rest of the Magical Races. Luna could have told her anything and Fleur would have said it was true.

"Oh yes. The Wrackspurts love to gossip."

Fleur looked over at the shocked boys and shrugged, "Zere you go. Your 'secret club' is not as secret as you wish it to be."

"I don't care about that!" Harry shouted, his face turning bright red as he quickly rose to his feet. "What I care about is Hermione LIED to us and ATTACKED Hagrid!"

Fleur growled lowly as Luna looked between the two nervously. The magic in the air thickened and the Veela quickly tried to calm Fleur down, afraid of what would happen to them if they got into a fight inside a Fairy Ring.

The blonde took a deep breath and looked towards the green-eyed boy, " 'arry, she did not lie to you. At my own urgings, she did not reveal 'er fur to you." Fleur laughed bitterly and looked down at her sleeping mate, "Trust me, she wanted to tell you all about it, but I would not let 'er."

"Why not?" Harry kneeled in front of her. Fleur looked at Ron and Neville and sensed the desperation in them also.

"We wouldn't have thought any differently of her, Fleur." Ron whispered. "She woulda still been our sister."

Fleur shook her head, " 'ow was I to know zat? She 'ad not seen you in two years and even zen, she only knew you for one. 'ow was I, or even she, to know 'ow you felt about creatures? 'ow was I to know zat you were not zee prejudice British type zat would report 'er to your Ministry and get 'er processed and possibly locked up?"

The boys remained silent, so she pushed on, "I do not know any of you very well. I am trying, Apollo am I trying, but it is more for 'ermione's sake zan my own. She loves you all so much and wants you to be a part of 'er life so I must make you a part of mine. And I am okay wiz zat." She laughed bitterly. "Merlin knows 'ow much she 'as changed for me. But my first and foremost zought is protecting 'er. And I will do zat to my dying breaz. So, if any of you zought zat she betrayed you or lied to you because she 'id 'er true self, do not blame 'er. Blame me."

Ron looked at her sadly, "You don't trust us, do you?"

"I want to, but zis," Fleur motioned around them, "makes it 'ard. We 'ave been 'ere for zree days and already so much 'as 'appened zat I do not know 'oo I can trust and 'oo I cannot. Zee only zing zat I was wanting to do zis year is meet you all and learn more about my mate. Now, I am stuck trying to survive zis stupid Tournament while not getting put into jail in zee process, trying to keep a war from breaking out between my Clan and zee Centaurs, while also trying to figure out why 'ermione attacked zis 'agrid." Fleur rubbed her eyes, the weariness she felt coming back stronger, "And it is 'ard to juggle all of a sudden and I am at a loss on what to do."

Harry suddenly drawing his wand had Fleur looking at him in confusion. She knew that if somebody drew a wand in a Fairy Ring with the intent to attack that the magic around them would push them out. Therefore, she was curious as to what Harry would do.

The Boy-Who-Lived stood up straight, looked her in the eye, and drew his wand across his chest. "I, Harry James Potter, do solemnly swear to always be there and protect Hermione Delacour and her family, through thick and thin, through the good and the bad, for as long as she is true to me. I vow to always protect her secrets, and those of her loved ones, through this day, until the end of days. I will not speak of anything she says to me in confidence, with anybody not approved of, which is to be decided upon by Fleur Delacour. So I say it, so mote it be."

Fleur watched in shock as both Ron and Neville stood up and said the same oath, smiling at her the entire time. She felt the magic around them flair up and vibrate as the oaths were sealed and bound, settling over her and Hermione like a thick blanket.

The blonde felt tears fill her eyes as she whispered, "Do you realize what you 'ave done?"

"Yes." Harry smiled at her, "I vowed to protect Hermione for as long as she is true to me and to protect her secrets even after that. We," he motioned at the other two boys and Hermione, "all promised to always be friends and help each other back in First Year. When Hermione disappeared, we were devastated and worried sick. Now that she's back and all of this has happened, I realize that there is so little that I truly understand and how strange this must be for you. I hope that this vow alieves your fears and concerns and proves to you that we are truly there, not only for Hermione, but for you as well. And if I were to ever break these promises, I know that losing my magic would be the least of my concerns as I'm sure an entire Clan of Veela would be after my hide."

"Not many Wizards would make an oaz so lightly." Fleur cautioned. "Zere are many ways to take somezing and zee way you stated it is open for interpretation. I will allow you to revoke it if you change your mind."

"There will be no need for that, Fleur." Ron gave her a lopsided grin. "We promised to always be there for Hermione and we do not break our promises."

Fleur looked at the three boys for a moment before nodding, "Very well. I, Fleur Isabelle Delacour, accept your vows on behalf of Hermione Jane Delacour and promise to never betray your trust. So I say it, so mote it be."

The boys smiled at her and sat back down. As the silence between them reigned, Luna suddenly laughed, "I hope that I am included in the list of people you trust, Cousin."

Fleur shook her head, "Even if I did not want you to 'ear my secrets, your Wrackspurts would still tell you. Zere is no use in 'iding something from a member of zee Fae."

"Which is something I would like to hear about." Harry said before turning to Fleur, "But first I want to know what Hermione is and why she attacked Hagrid."

Fleur and the Veela argued for a minute about what they were going to tell the boys. Even with their oaths still fresh in the air, the Veela was hesitant to trust them. _Of course, you do not trust anybody but ourselves, Hermione, and our Alpha,_ Fleur thought at it. The Veela simply sent her a shrug in return.

Finally, the blonde took a deep breath and laid a hand on the saber tooth's head, "Maya is a creature known as a Kanaima. Zey are a type of skin changers zat feel more comfortable as zee cat zan zee 'uman." Fleur looked at the group curiously as the three boys glanced towards a smug Luna. "Maya is different zough because when she was young, she was taken from her mozer and had a blocker placed on 'er, causing 'er to be frozen in zee 'uman form."

"I'm sorry, what's a blocker?" Neville asked.

"It is a magical device used mainly for criminal Animagi." Fleur brushed her fingers through her hair, "It blocks an Animagi's magic from building up which stops zem from changing. 'ermione 'ad such a device on 'er when we first met and zee only reason we figured out she 'ad a blocker was because our magic could not meet to begin forming our Bond."

Harry muttered, "That's how she got that scar around her wrist."

"Oui, it is. 'er magic was literally trying to burn zrough zee enchantments."

"Wait. Fleur, are you trying to tell us that you think HAGRID placed the blocker on her?" Ron looked around the group in disbelief.

Fleur shrugged, "I do not know zee truz, only what 'ermione remembers of zee moment. She said zat a man was zee one who took 'er from 'er mozer and zat she recognized zis man, but could not remember from where. She zen said zat as soon as 'e brought 'er up to 'is face, zere was a bright flash, and she was placed wiz zee Granger's."

"So you think, because Hermione went crazy upon seeing Hagrid, that he is the one who took her and placed this device on her? And put her with the Granger's?" Harry shook his. "I'm sorry, but that doesn't sound like something Hagrid would do."

"Or could do, mate." Ron leaned forward, "Hagrid had his wand snapped nearly fifty years ago because everybody thought that he was the one to open the Chamber. There's no way he could've done all the magic that you and Hermione thinks he did."

Fleur stared at the boy in shock while Neville spoke up, "And besides that, even if he did have his wand, I don't think Hagrid is capable of all that." At the others' glares, the brunette quickly held up his hands in defense. "I didn't mean anything bad. I love the guy to death! But…he doesn't seem like quickest broomstick in the shed when it comes to some stuff. Now, Creatures? He's a genius. But I can't see him being able to cast memory charms and binding charms and all that."

Ron leaned over to whisper loudly at Harry, "Bearclaw has a point."

"Not only that," Luna spoke up, "but that's not Hagrid's way. He is a giant teddy bear and loved by all creatures. I cannot see him tearing a young cub away from her mother."

"So, you zink Maya is remembering wrong?"

"Perhaps...perhaps not." Harry shrugged, "I think, of all of us, Maya has the best memory and if she says something happened, then I'd believe it. But, memory charms are really powerful and can change memories or erase them entirely."

Fleur hesitated for a moment, "Dumbledore said somezing like zat when I asked 'im about it. Zey would not tell me why Maya attacked zee man, but I know zat zey know. If what you say is true, zen I zink zat Dumbledore and McGonagall eizer knows somezing about it or 'ad somezing to do wiz it."

"McGonagall?" Neville shook his head, "She was one of the few professors that we thought was on our side. That we thought was just trying to do her job. Do you really think she is part of a game?"

"She might not be involved in the whole game, but I agree with Fleur." Harry nodded, "The way Hagrid reacted when McGonagall came rushing down shows that she knows something about it."

"So what do we do?" Ron asked.

"Why, wait and see of course." The four Marauders looked towards the smiling Luna. "Worrying about something is only going to make things worse for you. The Wrackspurts will always guide you in the right direction and give you the information you need. You just must be patient."

Fleur chuckled at the confused looks of the three boys. It was obvious that they had never been around much Fae folk and therefore did not know how they behaved. The Veela quickly wondered what other secrets Hogwarts held before turning their attention to Hermione.

The saber tooth was twitching in her sleep and Fleur could feel her distress. The blonde tried to shush the beast, hoping that her presence and voice would be enough to calm her down, but a violent kick was her results.

"Perhaps if you ask her to change back into a human, she would be easier to calm."

Fleur looked up at Luna curiously, "She is unconscious zough."

"So?" Luna cocked her head to the side. "She can still hear your voice."

Fleur looked at Luna for a moment before sighing, "I 'ope you are right, Cousin."

"I can't remember a time when I was wrong."

She heard the boys give a lighthearted chuckle at Luna's response but paid them no mind. Hermione was beginning to groan and growl in her sleep and Fleur was desperate to calm her down. So, praying that Luna was correct, Fleur leaned down so her mouth was next to the saber tooth's ear.

" **Maya,"** the ear twitched back at her voice, **"change back for me. Please, my love. I want to see you."**

Fleur smiled happily as in a blink of an eye, her mate shed her fur and lay in her lap as a human, still fast asleep. She smoothed the bangs away from the girl's face, frowning slightly at a few bruises she saw. She quickly glanced towards the three boys in question.

Harry rubbed the back of his neck warily, "Er…we kinda cast a few charms at her to try and get her off of Hagrid."

"Only Stinging charms and the Knock-Back Jinx, though." Neville quickly brought his hands up in surrender as Fleur narrowed her eyes at them.

The Veela came to the surface, demanding retribution for them daring to harm their mate. It was only the thick blanket of magic surrounding them that kept it at bay.

"Cousin, you cannot blame the boys for trying to protect their friend, can you?" Luna waited for Fleur to turn her dark gaze to her, "If one of your Sisters were to randomly attack somebody, would you not try and contain them with whatever means necessary."

Fleur and the Veela argued for a few moments before she sighed, "You are right, of course. 'owever, just because I understand, does not mean zat I like it." She raised an eyebrow at the three, "Do not do it again, understood?"

"Yes, Fleur." All three said.

"Good." A distant gonging captured all of their attentions. Fleur was confused for a moment before the growling of Ron's stomach told her what was going on.

"Supper time?" Harry asked, "Already? I feel like we haven't been out here but a couple of hours."

"Time flies when we talk, mate." Ron stood up and stretched. "Personally, I'm glad it's time for dinner. I'm starving."

Fleur looked down at her sleeping mate while the Hogwarts' students all laughed at the declaration. She had no interest in being surrounded by all the students and faculty of the three schools, knowing that word has already spread of the attack. _How Dumbledore is going to keep word from reaching British officials is beyond me_ , Fleur thought with despair. She could only hope that she made the right decision in trusting him.

"You coming, Fleur?"

She looked up to see the four younger students looking at her questioningly. They had gathered up their belongings and moved to the edge of the Fairy Ring while she had been thinking.

"I do not zink so. Maya will not wake up until zee magic tells 'er it is okay and I do not want to leave 'er." Fleur stood up and gathered her mate in her arms, rubbing her cheek against the girl's curls fondly. "I believe I will just go to zee carriage. I 'ave some zings zat I need to do, immédiatement."

"Of course. At least let us walk you and hold the doors open for you." Harry smiled at her, "You seem to have your hands full at the moment."

"Merci, 'arry."

The five students slowly made their way out of the Forest. Fleur noticed Luna motioning for her and slowed down to allow the boys to go on ahead of them.

"When you write your letter," Luna whispered to her, "make sure you mention Harry."

Fleur gave her a curious look. Before she had a chance to ask 'Why', Luna was already continuing, "This, of course, is not your repayment to me. I just think that it would be in the best interest to everyone if Harry had some outside help. I know that he means to go to Gringott's before the First Task, but something tells me that it is going to prove impossible. Perhaps your grandmother will be able to help him."

"If you zink zat wise, I will mention 'im." Fleur looked towards the boy in question, " 'e 'as a knack for finding trouble, yes?"

"No, I think trouble finds him more often than not." Luna placed a hand on her arm and they both stopped at the edge of the Forest. "Which brings me to what I'm going to request from you." Fleur noticed the Fae's distant eyes focus on her, "There is something wrong with my best friend and I fear that it is somehow related to Harry."

" 'oo is it?"

"Her name is Ginny Weasley. She is…"

"She is Ron's sister. Oui, I know 'er." Fleur nodded towards the still walking boys, "I promised Ron zat my Sisters and I would try and 'eal 'er mind of zee darkness."

Luna shook her head, "I fear it is worse than that." They slowly continued walking towards the Beauxbaton's carriage. "Yes, the possession in our First Year did a great deal towards her, but with me beside her constantly, her mind should've healed on its own. I think she is being dosed with a high mixture of love and loyalty potions and its making everything worse."

"And you zink zey are being keyed to 'arry?" Fleur asked in alarm. Those types of potions were not only dangerous, but also illegal in most countries. France outlawed their use back in the early 18th century because of the dangers they cause. The fact that Luna would openly speak of them, tells Fleur that they are not only legal here, but also widely used.

"Yes and I think I know who is doing it, but I'm hesitant to place blame." Luna stopped them again, only a few yards from the carriage. Fleur could see the boys already at the door, looking towards them curiously. "I'm afraid this same person will begin dosing Harry too and I need Ginny off of them before that happens."

Fleur hesitated, "Changing a person's emotions is easy, but fighting against a potion is a lot 'arder." She quickly continued upon seeing Luna's defeated expression. "I am not saying zat we cannot do it, just zat it might take longer zan I originally zought. As you said, I 'ave a debt to repay for you caring for my mate in my absence. I will try my best in 'elping your friend in return."

"Thank you, Fleur." Luna gave her a shy smile before skipping towards the boys. Hermione gave off a small groan and pushed her face into the side of Fleur's neck, humming with content shortly after. The blonde quickly tightened her grip on her mate and walked towards the group, already thinking of what she was going to tell her Alpha. The Veela bitterly supplied the first sentence and Fleur could not help but chuckle at it.

 **Hogwarts fucking sucks.**

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

 **AN:** Surprise! I know. I know. Random middle of the week post is random, but I have a good explanation for it. See, I actually meant to post this on Monday as a sort of...follow up chapter to the last. But, life got in the way, things happened, and I wasn't able to finish it in time. Because it is Thursday, I debated on whether I should just wait until next Monday to post it, but I think if I just posted this, literally almost everybody would hate me. So, I decided to post it now.

I don't really have much to say, truthfully. I'm glad everybody liked my Luna. I did think it was funny that somebody said it was a True Blood crossover and somebody else said that they wished they had thought of it because...honestly? I thought it was canon that she had some sort of creature blood in her. It was only after I got those messages that I actually did some research and saw that...nope...Luna was just a normal Witch. Well...not 'normal' exactly, but ya known what I mean. So yea, that was all completely by accident.

A few other people had some questions that I don't feel the need to mention and I think I PM'd everybody that had questions I could actually answer without giving anything away. I do want to hear back from you guys (whenever you get a chance). I don't want anybody to be confused over anything and if anybody has a disagreement with how I did a part, please let me know. I like to think that I'm a pretty reasonable person and will hear you out if you have an issue. So, yea, if you have any questions, complaints, concerns, etc. drop me a PM and we'll discuss it.

 **Disclaimer:** Still don't own HP. If I did...so many things would be different. Starting off with the crybaby Harry from Years 1-7.

-xXx-

 _The young saber tooth bounded playfully after the large, black feline before her, lunging occasionally at the long, swishing tail. The reaction didn't produce the usual chuckle from her dame, but rather a growl of annoyance and the panther picking up her pace. The Kanaima never paid her mother any attention though. She quickly got distracted by the bugs buzzing around her and chasing the smaller creatures into cover. They had left the village nearly a week ago and she had grown used to her mother's swift pace._

The brunette smiled in her sleep and wrapped herself tighter around the object in her bed, burrowing into the soothing and familiar warmth.

 _It was approaching two weeks since they had left and they were out of their fur, walking through a Human village. The Kanaima hated this form. It was too weak and she couldn't run and jump as far as she normally could. She had complained to her mother, but the feline had said it was necessary for the moment. Said something about finding a big, floating hut to go across the bad tasting liquid. She asked why they couldn't return to the village, where their family was. The feline just wrapped her arms around the young Kanaima and moved to talk to some large Man, speaking in Their Tongue. The cub laid her head on her mother's shoulder and watched the Humans around them._

A hand buried itself into her curls, gently scratching her scalp and the brunette couldn't help the hum that was produced at the action. She heard a chuckle from above her, but never paid it any attention.

 _She couldn't remember the last time she had seen her friends. The young cub couldn't remember the last time she had been in her fur, if she was honest. Anytime she asked her mother if they could change back, the woman simply picked her up and continued walking through the treeless land. The loud, rolling boxes here had scared her at first, but after riding in them so often and being next to the hard ground they traveled on, one passing by didn't startle her as bad. A rolling box stopped a short distance away and she felt her dame breathe a sigh of relief, picking up her pace towards it._

A slight scratching noise was next to her head. Her eyes furrowed in annoyance, burying her face into the warmth to try and escape it.

 _They had been with these Men for a long time now. Their stench caused the cub to turn her head anytime one of Them came near. They laughed at her when she did this, but she didn't care. She didn't like Them very much anyways. The young cub had caught Them casting sparks of light out of a stick once and had went to her mother in fear. The feline told her that They were Magicals, kind of like them, but used sticks instead of bows. She was told to behave and try to like Them. The Men would help them and they would be there for a while. She still growled at the Men whenever They came near her though. Her mother didn't like that._

The Kanaima felt darkness surround her and whimpered in fear. She heard shushing above her and the hand returned to her hair, but she quickly jerked away, afraid she would be picked up by the scruff of her neck.

 _The roaring and cries of other animals scared her. The saber tooth buried her face into her mother's fur in fear as a dog began barking nearby. The panther hummed gently while pulling her closer, promising to always protect her. Those Men with the light sticks walked passed, laughing at them. Her mother quickly got up and roared while trying to swipe Them with her claws, but the Men leapt back. They laughed at her as the panther growled and spit, pacing back and forth along the bars, and threw a piece of terrible smelling meat into the cage, walking away soon after. She shook with fear as her mother padded back over to her, telling her that everything would be alright._

She flinched away as another hand was placed on her face, fear tightening her throat and making it difficult to breathe. The brunette whimpered once more and felt herself be pulled against another body, a thick vanilla scent quickly settling over her.

 _She lost track of how long they had been there. She felt so weak and tired that it was hard for her to get up anymore. Her mother kept trying to get her to stand, to play, but she wasn't interested. All she wanted to do was sleep. A noise close by caught her attention and she struggled to sit up to investigate it. A strange Man was walking towards them, his face so furry that she thought for a moment that He was one of them. This Man was taller than any other she had ever seen and the saber tooth quickly hid behind her mother. He stood there for a long time before calling out to one of the Men. They quickly discussed something before the Men laughed at the furry Man. She watched as one of Them motioned for something and a table was quickly set up between Them, cups of dice being set before the furry Man and the Alpha. The Kanaima had seen this game enough times that she quickly turned away from it, not interested in seeing Them play another round._

A set of hands were pinning her down and lips were being pressed against her face, a soft, musical voice speaking to her. She couldn't understand what the voice was telling her, but she felt a strange sense of calm being forced towards her. It was frightening and comforting all at once and she didn't know what to do.

 _A shout of anger forced her attention back to the Men. The leader had jumped up and flipped the table, yelling and pointing at the furry Man with rage on his face. All of the other Men had Their sticks out, looking between the two warily. The furry Man stood to his full height and said something in a deep voice. Even though she didn't understand the words, the cub felt herself shake in fear of it. Her mother quickly went to her, licking her face gently while humming. She told her how much she loved her and how she would always be there for her. She didn't have time to question her mother before a set of hands grabbed her, picking her up by the scruff of the neck, and pulling her from the cage. She quickly called out for her dame, hearing the big cat telling her to stay calm. The young cub was thrust towards the furry Man, who held her up to his face and bared his teeth at her. She tried to swipe at him, growling lowly, before he moved to cradle her in his arms. The cub tried to crawl away from him, back towards her roaring mother, but his large hands easily contained her. The furry Man said another few words towards the Men before pulling something from his coat. The last thing she saw before she spun away was her mother's face pressed against the bars._

"NO!" The Kanaima roared, sitting up straight and breathing heavily. Her curly hair was plastered to her head and she quickly moved her hands to brush her bangs back. Another cry for her mother quickly worked its way up her throat and it echoed throughout the room, almost as if the Spirits around her echoed her pain.

Hands being placed on her shoulders had the brunette spinning away, falling from the bed and landing on her hands and knees. She bared her teeth at the Woman as she heard footsteps outside the room running towards her. The blonde Woman quickly called out, her eyes never leaving the Kanaima's as the footsteps paused outside the door. _Trapped,_ she thought, looking around the small room. There was a single doorway ( _and more Humans standing outside_ ) and a window on the other wall. If she could get there, she could make her way to the trees she saw and finally be free. But the Woman and the bed were in the way of her only escape route.

Just as she was about to try and dodge around the bed, the Woman quickly said something, thrusting her hands out towards her. The brunette felt her eyes widen in fright as her body instantly froze. Her muscles were locked up and no amount of willpower could force them to move. _She cast a light at me_ , the Kanaima snarled at the Woman, _she can do it without a stick?!_ The brunette watched warily as the Woman moved carefully off the bed and kneeled before her, slowly reaching her hand out towards her face.

Her eyes closed in fear, unsure of what would happen once the Woman made contact with her. The rush of magic and emotions once her hand cupped her cheek was something the Kanaima never could've imagined. It felt as if her own magic was rushing out to meet the Woman's and she could feel it dancing and weaving with her's. As if that wasn't intense enough, strong thoughts of love were taking the rest of her breath away and she felt tears form in her eyes as she looked into the bright blue of the Woman's.

 _Mate,_ the brunette instantly thought, _She's my mate._

The brunette turned to nuzzle into the hand cupping her cheek, reaching her own hand up to cover it. She heard the Woman breathe a sigh of relief and scoot forward to rest their foreheads together. The Kanaima frowned as the Woman said something in the Human Tongue. The words were lost on her so she rubbed their noses together, asking her to speak in their language. Surely her mate would be like her and know their language.

The blonde frowned at her and said a single word to her, confusion running through their magic and towards her. The Kanaima's eyes furrowed at the word, something tugging in the corner of her mind as it repeated over and over again in her head.

" _Hermione._ _ **"**_

Her mate said the word again, this time placing her hands on the brunette's shoulders. The feline felt a headache form as the word repeated itself faster, only louder this time. As if hundreds of voices were saying it at once. She cried out in confusion, wondering if this was another light or a Human trick being played on her. Finally she groaned out, _What is 'hermione'?_

A pause. The blonde looked at her desperately, tears forming in her eyes as they stared at one another. And just like that it clicked. _I'm Hermione,_ the brunette thought in wonder.

As if a dam had broken, thoughts and memories came rushing back to her in waves. Two Man Cubs, one with red fur and the other with black, laughing and joking with her. _Harry and Ron._ Mock-fighting with a black furred Woman who would tease her for being awful at sword play. _Andrée._ Four blonde furred Women, two of them Cubs, and a black furred Man looking at her with so much love and joy that it took her breath away. _Family._ One of them coming to her and taking her hand. _Fleur._ Running through the forest with a shadow overhead. _Fleur._ Laying on the forest floor, looking up and into the eyes of the blonde just as she bent down and captured her lips in a fiery kiss. _Fleur._

" _Fleur?_ **"** Hermione asked, her eyes squinted against the light of the single burning candle. Her brain felt fuzzy, almost like the time that she and Fleur snuck a bottle of Firewhiskey into their room to celebrate the blonde's seventeenth birthday.

" _Thank Apollo._ **"** Fleur breathed out, crushing Hermione into a fierce hug. The brunette choked slightly as the air was pushed from her lungs. She didn't have time to move her arms up to wrap around her mate before she was held at arm's length and shook slightly.

" _What happened, Hermione?_ **"** Fleur asked, desperation clear in her voice. **"** _One minute you were calm and the next you were feral. It was like you did not recognize me._ **"**

Hermione swallowed thickly as she rubbed her eyes, suddenly exhausted. She quickly glanced out of the window and saw the moon high in the sky. _Must be close to midnight_ , she thought, _what happened?_

Another shake, **"** _Hermione!?_ **"**

" _Sorry! Sorry. I do not know what happened, Fleur. One minute I was walking to class and the next…_ **"** Hermione trailed off as the events of the day rushed back, a growl forming in her throat. Fleur shook her once more, gaining her attention.

"He's here, Fleur." Hermione hissed through clenched teeth, "The man who took me away. He's here."

"Oui, I gazered zat after you attacked 'im today." Fleur looked at her warily, "Do you not remember anyzing else? Nozing about what 'appened after I sent you to zee Forest? Or" the blonde hesitated, "about what 'appened when you were younger?"

Hermione felt her throat close up as her dream came back to her. Tears filled her eyes and she immediately moved to bury her face into Fleur's shoulder. The brunette could feel her mate's sadness, confusion, and (a small amount of) anger. It was that last emotion that forced Hermione to look Fleur in the eyes and tell her about her dreams.

Fleur listened intently as Hermione explained what she saw while she was in the magically induced sleep (Hermione remembered the glowing girl and the magic settling down around her like a blanket and jumped to the conclusion). After she had finished her story, Fleur told her what had happened while she was asleep. About Dumbledore's cover up, her detention with McGonagall, and extra lessons with Moody. And about Harry, Ron, Neville, and Luna's conclusions on her past.

" _Do you think I am remembering it wrong?_ **"** Hermione asked in a small voice. They had moved to lay on the bed by then and were staring at each other in the light of the moon.

" _No, but,_ **"** Fleur winced slightly, **"** _I think you were too young to catch all of the details. If what Harry and Ron said were true, then Hagrid could not have done all those things we think he did. And, by your own account, it sounds as if your mother was running from something._ **"**

Hermione moved to her back, staring up at the ceiling intently. **"** _I barely remember the village. I think there was a waterfall and a river was nearby. I can remember playing with a small tiger and…I think it was a leopard? But I do not remember their names._ **"** Hermione squinted as she tried to follow the memory as it was fading, **"** _I think there was a lot of shouting all the time. Like, I remember dreading going home, but I do not remember where home was or what happened there._ **"** A thought unexpectedly teased at her mind and she rubbed her eyes in weariness. She choked back a sudden sob as tears clogged her throat.

" _What?_ **"** Fleur placed her hand against her cheek, moving Hermione's head so they were looking at one another again, **"** _Tell me. What are you thinking?_ **"**

" _I do not know what to think. Part of me blames Hagrid for tearing me away from her, but now._ **"** Hermione felt tears well up in her eyes, **"** _Now, I kind of want to thank him. He more than likely saved me, Fleur. By the gods, you have no idea how weak I was back then._ **"** Tears streamed down her cheeks. **"** _It took everything I had just to stand up. I did not know what was happening then, but now I know that I was starving to death. I cannot imagine how my mother survived that long. They barely gave us enough to eat and she gave me most of it. If it was not for Hagrid, I would probably be dead._ **"** A sob escaped her. **"** _She probably is._ **"**

Fleur immediately pulled her in for a hug, wrapping her arms around her while Hermione bawled into her chest. A pain that Hermione had never felt before was tearing through her heart and left her winded and broken.

" _I attacked him, Fleur!_ **"** Hermione wailed, **"** _I attacked the man who saved my life because I was too stupid to remember what happened._ **"**

Fleur pushed her away slightly and shook her head, **"** _No, Hermione. You are not stupid for not remembering. You had memory charms placed on you that caused you to forget. The only thing you knew was that he took you from your mother. And you reacted as any creature would. He did not blame you for the attack. If what you remember is true, then he more than likely expected it._ **"**

" _I-I have to do something, Fleur._ **"** Hermione rose up and wiped her tears away. **"** _I need to apologize or beg for forgiveness or something._ **"**

" _Not right now._ **"** Fleur pulled her back down and wrapped her arms around her again. **"** _We still do not know the whole story and I do not want us to rush to anymore conclusions. Let us figure out the whole thing before we act, yes? We still do not know how you ended up with the Granger's so he may have some faults to him still._ **"**

Hermione swallowed thickly but nodded her agreement. She couldn't have any more drastic events such as today. They had to wait and gather information, try and find out what all had actually happened. After that, she would make amends to those she hurt and go after those that hurt her.

" _Good. I need to add this to the letter I am sending Grandmaman. She will want to hear of these events._ **"**

" _Do you think she will blame me?_ **"** Hermione whispered.

" _No! You are not to blame, Hermione. I have told you this._ **"** Fleur brushed her lips against the top of her head. **"** _She will help us figure this out. Now that we know more to the story, she and her contacts can find out more about what happened. Families help each other, yes?_ **"**

Hermione nodded once more before hesitating, **"** _And Harry and Ron? They were not angry at me?_ **"**

" _I cannot say how they will be in the morning and I do not know whether it was the Fae magic keeping them calm or their own rational thinking, but no, they were not mad. Confused, yes, but I think that is understandable._ **"**

" _I cannot lose them, Fleur._ **"** Hermione whispered, **"** _I just found them again. I cannot go through this year without them._ **"**

" _They will still be here, I promise. They may demand another meeting and hear your side of the story, but I think they will still be true to you. I told you of the oath they made, yes? Many wizards do not make them lightly so for them to do that, shows me that they are still loyal._ **"**

" _I need to tell them the truth. The whole truth this time. No more secrets, no more half-truths. Everything._ **"**

Fleur heaved a sigh, **"** _I agree. I did not expect this trip to turn out like this and, if it were a perfect world, we could have figured out how they would have reacted first, then revealed you to them. This way though? You are right. We accidently put them in the middle of this, so it is only fair that they know what we are facing._ **"**

" _Not only that, but Harry has a way of getting Hagrid to reveal his secrets. Perhaps if he were to try, the Man might tell him what happened._ **"**

" _True._ **"** Fleur smiled before pulling her closer, placing a delicate kiss against her forehead, **"** _But, we have worried enough for today. I do not know about you, but I am exhausted. I am half tempted to skip tomorrow and allow myself to rest._ **"**

Hermione pressed her face against Fleur's neck, sighing at the faint vanilla scent she loved so much. "Can't do that," she mumbled.

A chuckle, **"** _You are right. We need to be strong, now more than ever. I just hope that Grandmaman can help us with this mess._ **"**

Hermione hummed in agreement and tried to focus on the beating of Fleur's heart, hoping to calm her brain enough to go back to sleep. She was almost afraid to close her eyes, afraid to see the panther's face once more pushed against the bars of the cage. Afraid of hearing the dejected roar of her mother as she was Portkeyed away. Even though she was somewhat happy for remembering a bit more about her past, Hermione sort of wished she had remained unaware. _Ignorance is a bliss and all that,_ she groaned to herself.

 _But knowing is half the battle._

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

 **AN** : Happy Monday everyone! I hope that this past week has treated you well. I'm glad most everyone enjoyed those past two chapters. I don't know if I mentioned it, but that attack and the dream sequence was another few first thoughts I had while creating this story. I'm happy they went over so well.

I do wish to warn you guys. Next week is my finals week and, while I don't have that many, I am going to be busy studying. So don't be alarmed if the next chapter or two is a little late. I'm not saying that they will or will not, but there is a chance. Besides that, I think everybody can guess as to what the next chapter will hold from this one and I want to make sure its perfect.

Alright, that's it for me. Enjoy.

 **Disclaimer:** I actually had a funny review a few weeks back telling me how my story is just changing the series of events in HP to fit my ship and that nothing original is really happening. For some reason, I've been thinking of it more and more as I continue to write and am not ashamed to admit that its true. I am doing that. 100%. Its why its called 'fanfiction'. Therefore, I guess that's good enough indication that I definitely don't own HP. Sorry about that.

-xXx-

Hermione found herself exhausted as the days turned into weeks. Ever since her attack on Hagrid most of the students from all three schools treated her like a pariah. She knew that they were terrified of her, whispering behind her back, worried that she would lose her mind and attack them too. There was no way to alieve these fears either. Anytime she tried to go up to somebody and talk to them, they would quickly draw their wands and amble backwards, making sure they were surrounded by other students to help contain her if she were to attack.

After three days of this happening, Hermione had given up on talking to anybody but her family all together.

In fact, the only ones other than Fleur and the other Veela that still hung around her were Harry, Ron, and Neville. It surprised her (even though Fleur told her as much) that the three boys would treat her as if nothing happened. She did, after all, attack a good friend of theirs. But, after she told them her side of the story and showed them her fur, they seemed to accept her more and even promised to help her figure it out and talk to Hagrid. Harry had only (basically) forced her to promise never to keep secrets again. _As if I wanted to in the first place._

Truthfully, if it wasn't for her friends, Hermione would've gave up all together and run into the Forest for the remainder of the year. At the end of that first week, the stares and whispers had gotten so bad, that the brunette had actually refused to attend class. Fleur had simply frowned at her when the brunette told her she wasn't going that Friday, but had said nothing in the contrary. The blonde had also given up on this school and had stayed in bed with her.

It wasn't until Ron, of all people, found them relaxing in the Forest the next Tuesday and demanded they get back to class that Hermione realized how worse she was making her situation. By running away, it proved to the students how guilty she was and how even she and Fleur knew that Hermione wasn't in control (entirely ridiculous, but that's what Ron told them). Fleur had growled at the ignorance of Magicals but agreed to (and force Hermione to) return to class. The brunette found herself being treated like an outsider once more, but tried to ignore the worst of it.

After that, Hermione found herself surrounded by Neville, Ron, and Harry, the boys forming an almost human shield between her and their classmates. They engaged her more often and joked around with her, trying to show the rest of the students that she was still the same Hermione. They even accompanied Fleur on walking her to the classes they didn't share. _I just wish their plan had worked,_ Hermione thought sadly. Everybody had taken to ignoring the three Gryffindors nearly as bad as they ignored her, but they didn't seem to care too much.

As time went on Hermione felt herself sliding deeper into a depressing pit until one night during her detention with McGonagall, she lost it. Every night during her 'detention' ( _if I can even call them that_ ), McGonagall would ask her how she was doing, how her classes were going, and so on and so forth. At one point, the older witch asked about the Granger's, but Hermione quickly shut her down and refused to talk about them. She also tried with Hagrid and the incident, but Hermione refused to open her mouth. However, the Wednesday night after she had returned to her classes, McGonagall asked why she had skipped and Hermione felt her emotions break free.

"You want to know why I skipped?" she had growled, "Are you really so stupid? Have you not seen the looks I've gotten? Have you not heard what everybody is saying about me?" She had stood up at that point and started pacing. McGonagall's disapproving and hurtful looks broke her heart for some reason and she couldn't look at the older witch any longer. "They think I'm an animal! An uncontrollable…beast! One who needs to be put down or locked up. I can't walk to the bloody bathroom without people backing themselves into walls."

Hermione finally looked towards McGonagall to see her frown. "What? You don't see it? Merlin, all of you professors must talk with one another at some point. I know I scare all of them too. Burbage shrieked and grabbed her chest as if she were having a heart attack, Sinistra had her wand out for the entirety of Astronomy, and Snape has made his opinion bloody well clear." The brunette sat back down and put her head in her hands. "I wish they'd all just piss off."

"Are you quite done?" McGonagall drawled, raising her eyebrow when Hermione looked towards her.

"I could go on, but it would all be different versions of the same thing." She sneered back. "Why do you even care? Shouldn't you be terrified of me too?"

McGonagall sighed and moved to the chair beside her, taking ahold of her hands, "Hermione, I'm not afraid of you. I never have and I never will be." Hermione furrowed her brows at that, but was unable to comment. "This situation is similar to the one back in your First Year. Do you remember our conversation then? You were so ready to give up and go back to the Muggle World because everybody was ignoring and making fun of you. Do you remember what I said?"

"Only those that truly matter will be there." Hermione looked towards the fire, remembering simpler times, "Everybody else don't know what they're missing."

"Exactly. The same thing applies here. Attacking a professor isn't how I would've shown others that I was different," McGonagall chuckled slightly before sighing, "but it happened and we must deal with it. The students are all afraid of you because they do not understand you. You need to show them that you are just like them. That you think like them, behave like them, that you basically ARE them. Just because you have another side to you, doesn't make you any different. Don't you think Fleur and the Veela all face different prejudices every day during class?"

"Yes. Fleur says that they all just ignore it. If they give in, it would only make things worse."

"That's right. If they were to give the people any indication that their advances were reciprocated, it would only make them try harder. By ignoring the people, there is a bigger chance that they would, eventually, give up. That is what you need to do. Just be yourself and everybody will eventually relax around you."

Hermione looked up to the Scottish Witch and smiled sadly, "It just sucks though."

"Oh Cub," McGonagall pulled her in for a hug. Hermione furrowed her brow again at the name but relaxed into the comforting embrace. "I know it's hard, but you must remember that you're not alone. I will always be here, Fleur will always be here, and I doubt you could get rid of Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley if you tried." They both laughed before McGonagall pulled away to look in her eyes. "You do not need to go through this alone. If you ever need to talk to somebody, I'm here."

Hermione smiled slightly and nodded, all the while praying that her favorite professor wasn't in on the game as well.

-oOo-

It wasn't until two days later that something happened that put Hermione back on everybody's good (at least 'not dangerous') list. She and the three boys were all trudging to Double Potions (which Hermione absolutely abhorred) when a group of students laughing caught their attentions.

Standing by the entrance to the potion's lab was a group of Slytherins, Malfoy standing in the center. Hermione stopped a short distance away, dreading the confrontation she knew was about to happen. Ever since the Hagrid incident, she had nearly the entire Slytherin house gunning for her (especially Malfoy. She couldn't wait to get ahold of him at the next Marauder meeting). She had nearly changed to her fur and attacked them on several occasions, but Fleur or one of the boys was always there to hold her back.

"Looky here, lads." Malfoy motioned towards them, "It's the Cheater, the Beast, and the two Half-wits."

The surrounding students (including a few Gryffindors) all chuckled at the insult and Hermione couldn't help but roll her eyes. _Get new material, Malfoy. It's getting rather dull._

"Hey, Potter, I've got a present for you." Hermione glanced between the blonde and the Boy-Who-Lived warily as Malfoy sauntered over towards them. Once he was before them, Malfoy thrust his chest out and gestured. "Do you like it? Just finished them this morning."

Hermione cocked her head to the side as she inspected the button that simply read 'Support Cedric Diggory: The TRUE Hogwarts Champion'. She exchanged a glance with Ron, who simply shrugged, before Malfoy pulling out his wand caused them all to back up. Sneak attacks had been a threat recently and none of them were about to trust Malfoy when he was in front of a group of Slytherins.

All of the congregated students laughed at their reactions and Malfoy simply shook his head, "A bit jumpy, are you Beast? Had people try to tame you recently, have you?"

Hermione snarled at him which caused several students to back up and draw their wands as well. Malfoy waved them off before smirking, "Yea, that's what I thought. Anyways, Potter, what do you think of the buttons?"

Malfoy waved his wand over the pin and the message changed from the bright yellow lettering to a reddish color and read 'Potter Stinks'. Hermione couldn't help herself upon seeing it. She burst out laughing.

Hermione laughed long and loudly, tears forming in her eyes. Every time she thought she was calming down, the sight of Malfoy's stupid confused face or the ridiculous button caused her to break into giggles once more. It was only when she saw Malfoy's face begin to get red that Hermione tried to calm down.

"No…no…hehe…I'm so sorry." She turned to Harry (who also looked defeated) and patted his arm, "Harry, I'm not laughing at you, I swear. But…hehe…you got to admit that i-i-its ri-ridiculous." The brunette wiped away more tears that had formed. "Whew! Honestly, Malfoy, that was bloody brilliant. You said you just finished them this morning?"

"What's your point, Delacour?" The blonde gritted out.

"My point? My point is that you're a bloody moron." Hermione gestured towards the button. "You had nearly two weeks to work on a proper insult and the only thing you could come up with is 'Potter Stinks'? Merlin, I could have told you that." At Harry's offended expression, Hermione simply smirked at him. "Harry, did you take a shower this morning?"

The bespectacled boy shuffled his feet, looking at the students surrounding him before shaking his head, "No."

Hermione turned back to Malfoy and smiled, "You see. Potter stinks."

"Harry!" Neville exclaimed, slapping the boy on the arm repeatedly, "We have to do that Herbology thing tonight. We will be working with Dragon Dung the entire time so…"

"…Potter WILL stink." Harry's face lit up before thrusting his hand out to Malfoy, "I want one! I cannot believe I've never thought of this before." He turned to smile at Hermione. "I can use it as a warning. If I don't have time to shower or if I just came back from the dung pits or Quidditch training, I could use it to tell everybody to keep away." The black-haired boy turned back to Malfoy, "Thank you so much, Malfoy! This will help immensely with stopping embarrassing encounters."

"You might actually get a date that way, mate." Ron said. All of the Gryffindors laughed at this which caused Hermione to smirk.

Malfoy sneered at them all before taking off his button and tossing it away. Hermione saw the students behind him do the same and couldn't help but chuckle. _Sheep,_ she shook her head, _they're all a bunch of sheep._ No more words were exchanged as the Slytherins all turned around and walked into the Potion's lab angrily.

As soon as they were gone, Hermione was nearly bombarded with the Gryffindors surrounding her. Everybody congratulated her on the spectacular takedown of Malfoy's latest attempts at harassing 'their Champion'. The brunette simply shook her head and trudged passed them, smiling slightly as she heard people still talking behind her. _Like nothing ever happened,_ she thought in wonderment, _I guess McGonagall was right after all_. The boys all sat down around her, Harry donning one of the tossed away buttons, and smiled at her.

"See, Hermione…" Ron started. The girl just shoved him slightly and smirked in his direction.

Things spiraled downwards quickly once Snape entered the room, however. _His sunny demeanor could light up an entire room,_ Hermione thought sarcastically, watching as he swept passed them and sneered at the class. The man refused to meet her eyes, but she noticed that his hand was always prepared for his wand just in case he needed it. That made her roll her eyes, but she decided to ignore it. _Rome wasn't built in a day and all that._

It was just unfortunate that Harry was called out by a younger Gryffindor by the name of 'Creevey'. Something about a 'wand weighing' and it was mandatory for all Champions. This put a scowl on the Boy-Who-Lived's face as he gathered his things and lumbered after the younger student. Snape was also not excited about this and set to punish the class through a 'surprise' potion making. _Bloody wonderful._

-oOo-

Fleur found herself in the tallest tree she could find, watching the sunset with a frown on her face. Her eyes kept drifting to the southern horizon, hoping to see any indication of her Grandmaman returning her message and sending advice or help. However, just like with the past week and a half, there was nothing but blue sky. Fleur let out a dejected sigh and turned her attention back to the sun. She had a little over a week until the First Task and she had not a single clue on what to do.

These past two weeks had been difficult, but it was not anything she could not handle. _At least there were not anymore surprises_ , she winced. With the exception of the students both harassing and fearing her mate, everything had been relatively calm ( _if one can call constant threats 'calm'_ ). **It is only a matter of time before something else happens,** the Veela whispered. Fleur simply told it to shut up.

Truthfully, that 'something' more than likely had already happened earlier today with the Wand Weighing. Some snooty reporter by the name of Rita Skeeter had been present and had slimed and wormed her way into getting interviews with all of the Champions. Fleur could just imagine what the article on them would say, but something told her it would not be flattering.

Of course, not all the Champions would get bashed in the presses. She could just bet that Krum would come out better than before. **"** _The brooding Bulgarian picked for Champion,_ **"** she muttered to herself. **" '** _Another easy challenge for Krum' would probably be a better headline._ **"** She could not imagine his agents allowing an ill word be said about him. She wished they would though. This entire week, it seemed as if the Durmstrang Champion had been stalking her ( _or Hermione_ , she sneered. Fleur really hoped it was her though). No matter where they went, she always saw Krum hovering nearby with his entourage of fans. At first she thought it was coincidence, but the longer it went on, the more she was sure that he was tailing them. There was no way for her to prove it and there was nothing to be done about it at the moment, but the Veela urged her to be cautious.

Diggory would also get by unscathed. He was, after all, the son of a very influential Ministry official. _Amos Diggory,_ Fleur sneered to herself. She had not forgotten the man from the World Cup incident and she highly doubted that he had forgotten her. _Diggory will probably be made into the shining hero of the Tournament, each of his faults will not be his fault and all of his victories will be made into legends._ The boy himself seemed like an idiot, going through the halls acting like everybody's friend and thinking that the world was made of rainbows, flowers, and sunshine. _Probably has never had to work for anything in his life._

 **Daddy Diggory probably provided everything for him. Held his hand the entire way through school and protected the boy from the mean, old professors and rowdy students. What a moron.**

Fleur quickly coughed to cover up her laugh and berated the Veela for thinking ill of their competitors. _He may just be that good natured._

 **Sure he is. And we are a fairy princess.**

Fleur shook her head and dismissed the conversation all together, wincing slightly as she thought about her own mention in the paper. Luckily, Skeeter really did not have much to ask her. The woman had been curious when her 'quarter-Veela' heritage was brought up due to her proudly saying that her wand core was a strand of her own Grandmaman's hair. After that quick line of questioning, Skeeter had given her over to the photographer who had greedily captured her image anytime she so much as breathed. _I will probably be the competitor who 'is just happy to be here',_ Fleur scoffed, ' _I was just lucky to be chosen and compete side-by-side with such great opponents'. The people will probably dismiss me entirely._ Not that she was going to complain. The less she was out of the spotlight, the better off she would be.

Harry though? _Poor Harry,_ Fleur tsked. The boy had been the center of Skeeter's focus as soon as he walked through the door. She had even dragged him off to the nearby closet to conduct his interview, rather than ask her questions in front of everybody like she did with them. It was only because of the glare on Harry's face after he stalked out of the closet that Fleur was able to gather that the interview went poorly. _Of course, with how many stories he has of the people turning their backs on him, I cannot say that I am too surprised._

The Veela pondered, **You would think that a famous 'hero' would be celebrated rather than demonized any chance the public gets. It seems like everybody loves 'the Boy-Who-Lived' as long as he is keeping his head down and following the rules. As soon as he does something different that pushes him into the spotlight, everybody is quick to judge him.**

Fleur found herself slowly agreeing with the Veela. It did seem rather strange how quickly Harry was ostracized by the general public. _But, then again, Britain is on its own level of 'strange' compared to the rest of the world._

The blonde did not have long to ponder it as somebody shouted for her at the base of the tree. Looking down, Fleur quickly recognized Diane looking around fretfully and instantly thought the worse.

" _What is it?_ **"** Fleur jumped from her branch and landed in front of the Fifth Year. **"** _What happened? Is it Hermione? The Centaurs? What?_ **"**

" _No no, nothing like that. The Centaurs have kept away and as far as I know, Hermione is currently in her detention._ **"** The blonde looked over her shoulder before leaning forward and whispering, **"** _We found something. Something that might have to do with the Tournament._ **"**

Fleur paused for a moment, **"** _What? Where?_ **"**

" _In the Forest. Amélie, Gisélle and I were exploring a bit more when we heard roaring and shouting. We went to investigate and,_ **"** Diane winced slightly before stepping back, **"** _you better come see._ **"**

Fleur nodded and together they took off, deeper into the Forest than Fleur had previously gone. _I see they have not been sticking to the 'borders' that were laid out,_ she shook her head, _dammit Amélie._

The trees were so thick at that point that they blocked out the sky above them. It was difficult to navigate the faint trail, but Fleur could not cast a 'Lumos' for fear of the Centaurs finding them in their territory. Just as she was about to ask why they had been this deep, a loud roaring and flash of light caused her to pause.

" _Over here, Fleur._ **"** A shushed voice called out to her. In the dying light, she could just make out the prone forms of Amélie and Gisélle underneath a bush. She did hesitate in crouching down as well, slowly shuffling beside them to see into the clearing. The groups of men running around, loud roars, and pillars of fire caused her to gasp.

" _Your life just got harder, I am afraid._ **"** Amélie whispered.

Fleur looked around at the sight and only one thing came to mind, _Oh, fuck me._

-oOo-

"Dragons?!"

"Keep your voice down." Fleur glared at the redheaded idiot that had nearly jumped up and shouted their secret to the entire breakfast population. "You do not want zee entire Great 'all to know zis. But, oui, dragons. Zey are deep in zee Forbidden Forest if you would like to see for yourself."

"Have you seen them, Maya?" Harry asked in a small voice. The boy had been in a catatonic since she broke the news and he sounded so pitiful that it nearly broke her heart.

"Yes, I've seen them." The brunette sighed. Once she had come back from her detention, Fleur had taken her to see the great beasts. It went without saying that Hermione was just as scared as Harry was.

"Are…are you sure they were dragons?" Harry whispered again, looking back and forth as if something was going to sneak up on them.

"Oui, Potter, zey were dragons." Amélie shook her head at the Fourth Year. "And zee only reason we told you is because you are Maya's family."

Ron gaped at the Veela in horror, "You aren't going to tell Krum or Cedric?"

"We 'ad not planned on it. Krum 'as been stalking zese two since zee beginning and Diggory is a fool. Let zem be surprised for all I care."

"That's not right, Amélie." Harry frowned at her friend. She and Amélie had had the same discussion last night.

Her Second shrugged and simply said, "Zey are not family."

Harry looked like he was about to start arguing with the stubborn redhead. Before he was able to, Fleur slapped her hand on the table to gain his attention. "Zat is not what is important right now." She hissed. "If you want to tell zem, by all means. What I am concerned about is what WE," she motioned between the two of them, "are going to do about zis."

Several moments passed as the group pondered this. The happy chattering of the students around them did not seem to lift their spirits any. _Merlin, I wish Grandmaman would get back with me,_ Fleur rubbed her forehead in agitation, _at least let me know that there is a line of communication open._

As if reading her thoughts, Ron asked, "Are you sure you haven't heard back from your grandmother?"

Fleur just glared at him.

"If we had, Ron," Hermione placed her hand on the blonde's arm, "We would've told you."

"Are you sure the letter didn't get intercepted?"

"So you are zee ones who told Fleur zat." Amélie shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Zee letter went straight zrough and was delivered correctly. Bernard came back to me wiz zee 'All Clear' signal. For some reason, Régine 'as just not answered yet."

"Sorry, the 'All Clear' signal?" Harry looked curiously at the redhead.

"Oui, it is somezing zat my Maman invented and I perfected." Amélie smirked at them, "I'm not going to let you in on zee secret, but it is a way to know if messages get zrough safely."

Hermione spoke up before Harry had a chance to argue, "Don't feel bad, Harry. Amélie hasn't even told us what this 'All Clear' signal is. Just know that it was received and that everything is fine. Well," Fleur felt her mate's eyes on her as she placed her head in her hands, "as fine as it can be, I guess."

"Then that does it." Ron took a drink of his pumpkin juice before standing up. "I guess we have to go research 'dragons'. Just how I like to spend my Saturdays, in the library."

Fleur felt the amusement coming off Hermione in waves as her mate said, "Up for a bit of light reading then, Ron?"

"Oh, piss off, Maya." The boy smiled at her. "You would be impressed with us how many times we had to go to the library while you were off in France. This isn't anything new to us."

"I'll be more impressed when we actually get there. Lead on, Ron. Let's go search for dragons."

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

 **AN:** I am so sorry, everyone. I didn't mean to not post anything last week, but my time escaped me unfortunately. I didn't have a good chance to work on the chapter at all until all my tests were over and by then I figured I might as well wait until today. Forgive me?

Another thing I must say sorry to is the fact that I divided this chapter into three chapters. It's definitely NOT because I think this story needs to be longer. Its more because, to me at least, everything that I had to write down didn't flow well as one large chapter. I'm not going to make you guys wait another week or two (so don't worry about that), but I do want to reread the other two parts a few more times before I post them.

Now, a few people last chapter brought up the issue regarding the 'Maya' nickname and rather than PM all of them, I figured I'd just put it in the AN.

I have two reasons for using the term 'Maya' in dialogue (I don't use it anywhere else if you've noticed).

1) I hate the nickname 'Mione'. Never had liked it. Why? No clue. To me, it doesn't flow off the tongue very well and if you're going to call somebody 'Mione' then you might as well include the 'Her' as well. What's the point of a nickname if its just leaving off a syllable of the persons name? I just don't like it.

2) By using the name 'Maya' in place of 'Hermione' I am able to write dialogue better. This might be a bit too much information for you guys, but here it is: I don't speak very well. I have a terrible stutter and things that I say in my head have a tendency to get jumbled on their way to my mouth. I have found that if I shorten long words in my head, then I am able to say and remember them better. I also hate writing dialogue (for this same reason because I don't speak like everybody else). Have never wrote a piece of dialogue before writing this story which is why I'm surprised nobody has said how terrible it is. That's also why the first chapter doesn't feature much dialogue, I didn't know how to approach it yet. However, I've found that if I actually mutter the words to myself and imagine myself in the situations where I have to say the piece of dialogue or give information, what have you, I have an easier time writing it. I write what I say and fix all the words I say incorrectly. Hence the reason for 'Maya'. Could I go back and change all references of 'Maya' to 'Hermione'? Sure, but what's the point? It would just add more stress to me because while I'm muttering the words to myself, I'd find myself constantly stuttering and fixing 'Maya' to 'Hermione' in my head and it just would be a mess.

So, I'm really sorry if some of you don't like the name 'Maya', but I don't know what to tell you. The only thing I can suggest is when you come across the name, just read it as 'Hermione'.

Anyways, that's it for me today. I'll post the next part of this sometime soon so keep an eye out.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own anything in all honesty. I'm just putting everything together and hoping for the best.

-xXx-

Their search for any reference of 'dragons' in the library proved unfruitful. By the middle of the week, Harry had his head in his hands and had convinced himself that he was going to die on Monday. Getting fed up with the Boy-Who-Lived, Hermione asked him what he was good at. Surely there was something that he could do. His only response was flying.

Hermione knew they could work with that.

While she and Harry worked on the 'Accio' charm, Fleur was also becoming upset with the situation. Hagrid had, apparently, taken Maxime out on a 'date' to see the dragons Saturday night which gave the Headmistress insight into the Task. On Monday, she had gone to Fleur with a powerful sleeping spell, telling her that it would be the quickest, easiest, and safest way to get past them. If the situation had been different, Fleur might've just accepted her offer. Hermione was happy that she refused.

However, by Friday, with no clear plan in sight and Fleur willing to 'Allow the Fates to guide her', Hermione was beginning to change her mind. Surely, accepting help from the person who put them in this situation was better than going in with nothing.

She was also becoming aggravated with the lack of information in the Hogwarts' library. She remembered in her First Year the large amount of books and references present that she hadn't had a chance to look through. _Guess it wasn't as big as I originally thought._ Her frustration reached greater heights when Madame Pince kicked them out of the library for a day for 'causing a disturbance'. Hermione scoffed, _all I did was demand to know what she did with the books. It wasn't that spectacular._ Harry and Ron found it amusing though.

The best source of knowledge about dragons came in the form of Luna, surprisingly. The young blonde had found them all pouring over books on creatures and had decided to help them. Of course, that help consisted of telling them all outlandish and wild stories that had Hermione rolling her eyes more often than not. It wasn't until later that evening, when she and Fleur were alone, that Fleur explained the point of the stories.

" _She was telling us to treat them with respect._ **"** Fleur had said. **"** _Her story on the 'Jabberwocky' was merely telling us that these great beasts are a lot smarter than we give them credit for. In fact, they are probably smarter than all of us put together. They may be less likely to go for the kill if they know we are not truly there to harm them._ **"**

Hermione still thought the stories ridiculous, but was willing to put up with them to learn more about dragons to help her mate and brother. She also wanted to learn more about the Fae and their way of performing magic and figured the stories and weird creatures would always be present when dealing with Luna. _I still need to speak with her on that,_ she mentally added it to her 'To Do' list, _maybe after the First Task I'll have time._

On Saturday night, almost twelve hours before the Task, Hermione found herself in a heated argument with her mate.

" _Maybe you should think about the sleeping spell._ **"** Hermione said desperately, **"** _I cannot believe I am going to say this, but Maxime is right. It would be quick and easy and not bring any harm to you or the dragon._ **"**

Fleur sneered, **"** _It is Maxime's fault that I am in this situation and I refuse to accept her help. I would rather get mauled by a dragon than stoop so low._ **"**

" _How could you say that?! Are you really so selfish?_ **"** Hermione felt tears well in her eyes, thoughts of the blonde injured and maimed coming to mind. Even her most depressing thoughts refused to see Fleur killed. She knew she wouldn't survive it if such an event happened tomorrow.

" _Selfish? Me? She is the one who is selfish! She thinks that she can manipulate me, scare me, into accepting her guidance._ **"** Hermione watched as Fleur started pacing back and forth across the room, **"** _I cannot wait till we are back in France and the laws are different. She will get what is coming to her._ **"**

" _No! You are selfish. You are willing to make me suffer tomorrow, watching you face a giant dragon with no plan, no thoughts on what you are going to do, nothing. You could be seriously hurt tomorrow, Fleur!_ **"** Hermione felt fear begin to choke her, "Y-you could b-b-be…" She could say no more as sobs wracked her body.

" _My love, no._ **"** Hermione felt arms wrap around her and draw her close. She instantly buried her head into the crook of Fleur's neck, feeling her tears soak her mate's shirt.

" _Easy my lioness, easy._ **"** Fleur cooed into her hair. **"** _I cannot say that I will not be injured, but I am not going to die tomorrow. This I can promise. If things get bad, I will call on the Veela, to Hell with the consequences._ **"** Fleur pushed love and reassurance through the Bond while lifting her head up to look into her eyes. **"** _I am not going into the Arena entirely without a plan, but I cannot accept an enemy's help. Even if I wanted to, the Veela would not allow it and I would be made weak in the eyes of the Clan._ **"**

Hermione sniffled slightly and reached up to cup her cheek, **"** _I just cannot lose you, Fleur._ **"**

" _And you never will._ **"**

" _Promise?_ **"**

" _Promise._ **"**

-oOo-

Fleur frowned down at her uneaten breakfast the morning of the First Task. Everybody around her was talking anxiously about it and the Champions and 'can't wait to see what'll happen'. She even heard somebody whisper how jealous they were that they were not chosen. Fleur simply sneered at the fool. _If you knew what we were to face, you would not be so jealous._

Hermione had not left her side since the night before. Her mate was nothing but a bundle of nerves and worry and nothing Fleur did last night or this morning alieved those fears. She knew that the only way for the brunette to calm down was for the Task to be over and both her and Harry safe and sound.

Speaking of the Boy-Who-Lived, he was a shaky, pale, nervous wreck. Harry had refused to even fill his plate, instead choosing to fiddle with his silverware and jumping at every loud noise around him (which the Slytherins took joy in). The Veela scoffed at him before Fleur quickly reprimanded it. _He is a fourteen year old Magical who will be facing a fully grown dragon in a few hours,_ she thought, _he has every right to be terrified._ It did not say much after that.

About half way through breakfast, Maxime came walking in with a large smile on her face. The sight of her, with her outlandish clothes and confident gait, nearly sent Fleur into a rage. The woman had done nothing but hound her this past week, demanding that she accept her help with the Task and come into the half-Giantess's office to be trained. As if Fleur was so weak and desperate to accept her assistance.

Her only regret was not hearing back from her grandmother. The Veela had begun whispering that the Elder had forsaken them, that they were being betrayed by their own Alpha. Ever since they had found Hermione two years ago, it had whispered to her that they needed to over throw the Alpha. That they were stronger and more powerful than her. Fleur had been able to ignore these whispers, but the longer Régine did not respond, the harder they were to resist.

All of her Sisters felt her pain and worry over not hearing from her grandmother. No one had said a word on the matter, but Fleur knew that they would back her up no matter what she chose to do. It was a terrible time to think of such things, but the thoughts kept running through her head.

Fleur could not take it anymore and finally cast a 'Tempus' to see how much longer they had. She grimaced as the spell revealed that there was only an hour left before the Champions were required to head to the Arena. She felt Hermione's hand squeeze her own and smiled sadly at her mate.

" _It will be alright. We will make it through this._ **"**

"I think I'm gonna puke." Harry muttered, the first words he had spoken all morning.

"It…it'll be fine, Harry." Hermione said. "Just remember to focus on your broom and call it to you. Then, all you have to do is-"

"Face a dragon." Harry grimaced once more at his plate before looking up at Hermione, "I don't know if I can do this."

" 'arry Potter," Fleur sat up straight with a determined look on her face. She felt most of the students around her pause and look at them, but kept her eyes locked with Harry's. "you 'ave done more incredible zings in your past zree years of school zan most Magicals accomplish in a life time. Not only zat, but you are known and celebrated for defeating Voldemort when you were only a toddler. If I could, I would place a bet on you to not only succeed today, but to win zee entire zing. Do NOT count yourself out just because you are zee youngest. We ozer Champions are zee ones at a disadvantage for not 'aving your life experiences."

As she spoke, Harry had perked up a little and put a confident mask on. "You're right, Fleur. I may be young, but the things I've done were far more dangerous than facing a dragon." She smirked at him as he touched his Marauder ring. _That's right, Basilisk, you are more powerful than you know._ Fleur felt Hermione lean into her and she felt a small spike of happiness bleed through the Bond.

Harry shaking his head brought her attention back to him, "But, you shouldn't count yourself out either. I've seen the way you fight and I know the way you think. You are cleverer than all of us put together and a lot stronger too."

Fleur grimaced and looked at her Sisters. None of them met her gaze as each of them knew the difficulty of the challenge she faced.

"Zat may be," she spoke softly, "but I am at a disadvantage. I cannot fight wiz my full strengz wizout zee consequences for all of us being severe. And," she sneered down at the table, "the one person 'oo could guide me refuses to respond." She slapped her hand on the table in frustration; the thought of her Alpha forsaking her caused the fire within to burn hotly.

The blonde watched as the tanned hand of her mate once more reached out and gently laced their fingers together. The sight caused a small smile to appear on her face and she looked towards Hermione for reassurance. Just as the brunette was opening her mouth to say something, the fluttering of feathers caught her attention. A few of her Sisters gasping caused Fleur to whip her head around as well.

There sitting before her, looking as proud as ever, was Emmanuel. He was wearing metal spurs on his talons and defensive armor down his back and around his head. Despite these protections, Fleur could still see several feathers missing and a deep scratch along his leg. He looked worn out and she could see his sides expanding rapidly as he sucked in air. Even though he looked exhausted and beat up, the sight of him never brought so much joy to Fleur before in her life.

" _Emmanuel._ **"** She breathed, almost afraid that it was an illusion. At the sound of his name, the owl puffed up his feathers a bit more and held his leg out towards her. Fleur cocked her head to the side as she noticed that he carried, not one letter, but two. There were no names on the envelopes, only a single symbol; a flower on one and a lightning bolt on the other.

Fleur took the envelope with the flower (frowning at its bulkiness) and Emmanuel quickly hopped over to stand before Harry, holding his leg out for him as well. The Boy-Who-Lived looked at her curiously (which she nodded her head towards the owl) before taking his letter. She watched as he quickly opened the envelope, his eyes darting across the page rapidly before narrowing them and rereading it. _Whatever was sent to him, must be highly important._

"Open the letter, Fleur." Hermione whispered to her. "Quickly, before Maxime gets here."

Sure enough, Fleur looked up to see Maxime's frowning form attempting to rise from the head table and make her way towards them. The half-Giantess seemed to be struggling with freeing her robes from where they got tangled with the chair and was growing angrier the longer she could not get free.

Shaking her head, Fleur quickly opened her letter, picking up the necklace that fell out. Her eyes widened in awe at the golden feather hanging from the braided strip of leather. The sun from the enchanted sky reflected off its golden vanes and caused it to glow almost ethereally. Fleur's eyes teared up as she saw the symbolic sun charm with an engraved bow and arrow nestled against the feather's down. She quickly slipped the necklace over her head, bringing both the charm and the feather against her lips before allowing it to rest against her breasts. It was only then that she picked up the small slip of parchment that accompanied her saving grace.

" _You know who you are._

 _You know what you must do._

 _You are safe._ **"**

The message was short (shorter than she hoped for or expected), but Fleur did not care. It was clear enough for her and she felt both relieved and rejuvenated. Fleur felt the Veela crow with delight deep within and race to the surface, suddenly eager for the challenge ahead. The chattering of the students around her fell away as her heart raced with adrenaline. She felt the feather warm against her and knew that Apollo himself was on her side.

"She finally responded to you?" she heard Ron ask.

Fleur simply nodded while Hermione answered. "Yes, and her response is more helpful than I ever imagined."

"And she what? Sent a piece of jewelry? Doesn't sound so helpful to me."

She heard Hermione swallow thickly beside her, "It's not just a piece of jewelry, Ron."

"Non, it is not," Fleur could not help but smile brightly and rise to her feet. She cast another 'Tempus' charm and frowned as she watched the time dwindle away. _I suddenly have so much to do and so little time to prepare._

Turning to Hermione and the rest of her Sisters, she locked eyes with each of them before raising her head confidently. **"The Fates have smiled on us this day. I suddenly find myself in a challenge befitting a Veela and I must say that I am happier now than when we first arrived to this bigoted, racist, Magical school."** Her smile widened as several of the older Veela chuckled. She was attracting a lot of attention from the other students, but could not find it in her to care. She had a tradition to uphold. **"With this necklace, I swear by Apollo himself that I will fight with all of my strength and allow his light and the spirits of my ancestors to guide me. We will show these Magicals just what being Veela means and we will burn this place down if they dare tell us otherwise. Do you all agree?"**

The resulting shouts and screeches caused the remainder of the Hall to turn towards them, looking at them with curiosity and could feel Harry and Ron's questioning gaze as well and knew she would probably have to explain everything to them eventually, but she did not have time now.

As her Sisters continued to voice their approval and shout encouraging words at her, Fleur turned to Hermione (who smiled sadly at her) and asked, **"Will you help me prepare?"**

Her loving mate nodded once and stood up, interlocking their fingers together once more to show her support. Fleur knew that Hermione did not like what was about to happen ( _she is probably worried that Aurors will come immediately_ ) but knew the part she had to play.

Just as they turned away from the table, a voice rang throughout the Hall, quieting everyone immediately.

" _Fleur! Please. Rethink this!_ **"**

Fleur looked towards the head table to see Maxime completely trapped by her chair. It appeared as if the sleeves of her robes had wrapped themselves around the arms of the chair so tightly that the half-Giantess could barely stand. A few of the Hogwarts professors were trying to help her free herself, but it looked as if they were making it worse.

The blonde raised her head in defiance and opened her mouth to say something before a loud screech interrupted her. All eyes turned upwards as a large shadow entered the Hall and raced downwards. Several students shrieked as the giant bird snapped its wings open just above their heads and beat down once, whipping their hair with the wind from the single stroke. The fearsome talons and deadly looking beak caused more students to duck down in fear as it glided over their heads.

A whispered **'** _Victoire_ **'** caused Fleur to smirk and look at a suddenly pale Maxime. The Beauxbaton's headmistress shrank back in fear as the large Harpy eagle landed in front of her and screeched once more. Its wings were outspread, feathers puffed out, and mouth opened in defense as it held its clenched foot out to Maxime, its head twitching side to side as it focused on the headmistress. As if that one action broke whatever curse had been placed on her, Maxime was able to free her sleeves and reach out to the eagle, taking the delivered object with a shaky hand. Fleur saw the half-Giantess wince in pain and look at her hand in fright. She could not see what had been delivered to the woman, but she knew what it was.

The Veela of her Clan had an ancient ritual for dealing with traitors. If the offense was small, yet something worse than a simple punishment could atone for, the person would simply be banished and not allowed on any of the territories the Delacour Clan owned. If the offense was great, the person was 'Blacklisted'. This means that the punishment will match the crime and would be continued until death took them. If the offender had tried to run and was currently out of reach by the reigning Alpha, a single black feather was sent to the person which, upon contact, would stain the offender with the evilness of their deed. Any Being who was friendly with the Delacour's then knew that if the offender was delivered to the Clan, the reward would be great. If the Being sheltered the traitor, they would face the same punishment.

As Fleur and Hermione left the Great Hall, the blackness had already reached the base of Maxime's neck.

-oOo-

Fleur took a deep breath, holding it for a few moments, before slowly releasing it. She continued to do this, allowing the noise of her fellow companions to slowly fade away as she and the Veela readied themselves. Several plans had popped into her mind as she and Hermione prepared her for the Task and Fleur could not wait to see which one she would use.

As she sat cross-legged, with her eyes closed, inside the tent, Fleur was focused on her body, making sure that she was completely ready. She could feel her tightly braided hair hang down her back and felt it move against her each time she took a breath. The painted symbols had long since dried and something told her that Apollo and her Alpha would approve of them. Her leather vest was cut in a way that allowed her wings to be able to burst free without hindrance and show off the ceremonial symbols painted on her. Her shoes were easy to slip off in case she needed her talons. Her magic and fire pulsed steadily with each breath she took and she smiled as the Veela readied itself to be called on in a moment's notice.

Fleur Isabelle Delacour, first of her name, Heir Apparent to the Delacour Clan, was prepared for the First Task.

She could not wait to see the reaction she produced when she revealed her true self.

A slight shuffling before her caused Fleur to open one of her eyes and see the nervous form of Harry Potter standing in front of her. He was dressed in the track jacket given to the Champions (her own was hiding her ceremonial symbols and vest) and he was nervously fiddling with the zipper.

"Relax, 'arry," Fleur breathed out, "everyzing will be fine."

She heard him gulp before he sat in front of her, placing his head in his hands, "I wish I was as confident as you, Fleur. I'm so nervous that I feel like I'm going to puke again."

 _It appears as if my talk has been forgotten,_ Fleur frowned.

She opened her eyes fully and looked at the nervous boy, "Do you mind if I ask what Grandmaman wrote to you?"

He glanced up at her before returning to fiddle with the zipper. "She said that…she said that she doubted that I had a chance to go talk to a lawyer at Gringott's and…if I allowed it, she would give me advice based on her own legal knowledge." Fleur smiled at the thought of Régine and motioned for him to continue. "She explained that," he swallowed noisily once more, "that she had read over the contract that had been assigned to the Goblet and that I could not be disqualified based on my age or treated as an adult. Apparently, the contract referred to the Champion as a 'Being' and did not give any specifications on the species or age of the Champion."

"Which is why I was Chosen, yes?" Fleur cocked her head to the side.

"I suppose," he shrugged, "she never mentioned you. She said that, after some research, the rule of 'seventeen or older' was only applied this year and, in the past, students younger than me had competed. The judges just never changed the contract." He sighed once before looking at her with a small smile, "However, she did say that there was nothing in the contract about me finishing each Task. I only have to 'attempt' to complete it. According to her, if I try the Task for at least five minutes and cast at least one spell, then I 'attempted' to complete the Task, but failed. That would satisfy the contract and I would be able to keep my own magic."

Fleur could not help the laugh that bubbled up, "So, what you are saying is zat you are just going to walk in zere, stay as far away from zee dragon as possible, cast a single spell, and zen walk out?"

"That's the new plan, yea."

"Zat is brilliant! I 'ope zat I get to watch it." Fleur laughed once more.

Harry rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, "It sure is a relief though. I was afraid that I would have to actually out fly a dragon! Merlin, if what Luna said is true, then I doubt I could've even got in the air before being swatted back down."

"You understood 'er stories?"

"Not really, but I understood enough to know they are master fliers and smart as hell."

"Bon. Treat your dragon wiz respect when you get in zere and it just may leave you alone."

"Here's for hoping." Harry hesitated once more. "Hey, Fleur? Can I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead, 'arry. I do not mind."

"What's the deal with the necklace? When you pulled it out of the envelope, I thought all of your friends were going to bust with excitement. Even Hermione's demeanor changed when she saw it."

Fleur smiled and picked up the necklace hanging around her neck, allowing the feather, charm, and newly attached lock of fur to turn before her. "Zis is not just an ordinary necklace, 'arry, but a part of my culture. You see, anytime we Veela go to war or are placed in a…er…ceremonial battle, zere is a certain tradition we must up'old. Zee necklace shows everybody zat we are boz in a battle and 'oo we are fighting it for. For example, my necklace 'as zee feazer of my Alpha, which is my Grandmaman, a sun charm for our god, Apollo, and a tuft of fur from my mate. Anybody 'oo knows my culture will see zis necklace and respect zee challenges I must face and will give me zeir blessing."

"So, by Régine sending you the necklace…"

"Was 'er way of telling me to tell Maxime to go to 'ell and face zee Tasks and zis Tournament as a Veela."

"But what about the law?" Harry cocked his head, "I thought the big deal was that there is some kind of international law stating that you couldn't compete. Aren't you still afraid of being sent to jail?"

Fleur just shrugged, "In Grandmaman's letter, she said zat I was safe. I assume she 'as protected me on zat front and I will face no consequences. Even if zey do come, I know now zat Grandmaman will still 'elp me and keep boz my Sisters and my mate safe."

Harry frowned as he contemplated this. Fleur knew that the answer was not the best, but she did not have time to give him a full cultural lesson. _If he is around Hermione more,_ she thought, _maybe he will pick up on some things._ The Veela laughed at her and she simply closed her eyes to calm it down.

"Hey, Fleur?"

"Hmm?"

"You said that the necklace represents who you are fighting for, but the only things on there are a feather, a charm, and some of Hermione's fur. Does that mean you aren't fighting for Beauxbatons?"

Fleur sneered and opened her eyes, "I could care less about Beauxbatons at zis point. Its 'eadmistress is zee one 'oo put me in zis situation and I do not know if any of zee teachers were in on zee deception. As far as I am concerned, it can burn to zee ground."

Harry's eyes widened at this declaration. She knew he wanted answers to that, but got distracted as the Tournament officials all entered the tent with Dumbledore and Karkaroff closely behind. Fleur smirked as she saw that Maxime was absent.

"We will talk later, 'arry, yes?" Fleur whispered to him. He shot her a look before nodding.

As all Four Champions gathered around to hear the rules of the Task, Fleur frowned as what they needed to do was explained. She cursed the idiocy and naivety of Magicals as she put her hand in the sack and withdrew the squirming Common Welsh, the number 2 swinging around her neck.

 **Steal an egg from a nesting mother?** The Veela raged, **How dare they?!**

Fleur growled lowly as she watched all of the officials walk out of the tent, Bagman excitedly telling them 'good luck'. _The audacity of Magicals in this country is astounding,_ she thought to the Veela. It agreed with her as they watched Diggory nervously leave the tent, his hand shaking so badly she thought briefly that he would drop his wand.

The blonde quickly looked towards a nervous Harry, sending him a reassuring smile before returning to her sitting position and closing her eyes. The tent grew eerily quiet after Diggory had left. Fleur could only assume that there was a Silencing Charm around them so they could not hear how the other competitors dealt with their dragons. It did not bother her though. Fleur let the nervous pacing of Harry and the near silent fidgeting of Krum fade away until only thoughts of Hermione filled her head.

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

 **AN:** Once again, I find myself needing to say sorry to you guys. I said that you wouldn't have to wait a week for this, but life happened and here we are a week later. I have a dozen excuses but I'm sure nobody is interested in them. Just know that I have my reasons and I'm terribly sorry I couldn't get this out sooner.

I don't really have much to say at this point so I hope you all enjoy. Part three of the First Task should be (if all goes well) out later this week.

 **Disclaimer:** Don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters, settings, or descriptions.

 **Update(01/06/15) -** Minor grammar changes. Huge thanks to Wings for helping me out with it.

-xXx-

It was suffice to say that Hermione was a nervous wreck as Diggory limped out of the Arena. His battle with the dragon had been grueling and, even though she felt no love for the boy, Hermione had still been on the edge of her seat. His use of transfiguration had been spectacularly done, but had left him too exhausted to hold the magical shield to fully protect himself. Hermione had winced as some of the dragon fire had broken through and badly burned him.

Of course, none of that would've happened if the Tournament officials ( _may they all fall into Darkness and be swallowed_ , she seethed) hadn't brought nesting dragons in as the obstacle for the Task. Hermione asked her family what idiot thought that would be a good idea for a challenge. No one had an answer, but Amélie said something about Bagman seeming stupid enough. Hermione couldn't help but agree.

As the dragon handlers (one of which was Ron's brother, Charlie) brought in the next dragon, Hermione looked around at her fellow students. None of them seemed to realize the extreme danger in going for a nesting mother's eggs and that bothered her more than the actual Task. _They are all fools,_ she growled to herself. The future of the Magical world was doomed if these idiots were going to be in charge.

Once the dragon (a rather large green one with four feet and spikes surrounding its head and along its back) was chained and her eggs were placed before her, Hermione felt a lump form in her throat as Fleur stepped out of the tent and into the Arena. The blonde seemed to be relaxed, surveying the rocky landscape curiously before locking eyes with her. She swallowed nervously as Fleur smiled at her right as the canon fired.

All of the students began to yell words of encouragement as Fleur took a confident step towards the dragon and simply looked at it. The beast roared at her, moving to stand over her eggs protectively while smoke escaped from her nostrils. Hermione watched as Fleur stopped and cocked her head to the side before turning to smile up at the judges. While the dragon hissed threateningly (which Fleur was, stupidly in Hermione's opinion, ignoring), she started to slowly unzip her jacket. Somebody around her asked if Fleur was going to try and seduce the dragon and both Amélie and Ron had to hold Hermione back as she lunged at the fool.

Gasps were heard around the stadium as Fleur took the material off, threw it on the ground, pointed her wand at it, and set it ablaze. At least, that's what Hermione gasped at. More people were probably shocked by the blonde's apparel, which, she could admit, did look quite outlandish in this ridiculous place.

Fleur's leather vest didn't leave much to the imagination and Hermione knew that the people sitting behind the blonde got a good look at her bare back. Hermione had appreciated the vest (immensely) when it had only been them, but now that her mate was revealing it to everyone else, the brunette couldn't help but be jealous. Of course, the long necklace and form fitting pants left Fleur looking quite enthralling and Hermione heard more than a few appreciative comments directed towards her mate.

The golden paint also proved to be alluring as it shone in the sunlight, making Fleur seem to have a golden aura about her. A multitude of runes, each painted by a different Sister, raced up and down Fleur's arms. Hermione hadn't paid much attention to what they had painted as she had been too focused on delicately painting the rune for love over the blonde's heart, indicating that she was in a Bond. _Not that the message got through to the Humans,_ Hermione growled once more as somebody in the stands wolf-whistled. An outline of the sun was painted around Fleur's navel and Hermione saw the blonde graze her fingers over it and the symbol on her chest once before lifting her wand up to her throat.

"Greetings, Great Mozer," Fleur's amplified voice echoed around the Arena. All of the students fell quiet as they watched the Veela curiously.

The dragon didn't seem as impressed by the salutations and opened her great jaw and breathed a column of fire towards the blonde. Several students screamed at the sight, thinking that the Champion was being burnt alive. Hermione, herself, felt her heart stop as it appeared that her mate was completely engulfed by the flames. The only thing that kept her from leaping into the Arena was the intense feeling of amusement she sensed.

As the dragon stopped spitting, Hermione felt herself smile at the sight of the familiar Veela shield being held up. The shield was one of special design, used primarily for defense against magic and a Veela's flame. It was large enough for the Veela to be fully protected and its inwardly curved shaped stopped any fire or magic from reaching them. It was a special conjuration, almost exclusively used by the Veela race, that used as little magic as possible to create and maintain. The brunette couldn't help but cheer along with the rest of the crowd as the shield lowered and Fleur's smirking face appeared.

The blonde looked towards the giant dragon and simply said, "Zat was rude." The laughing of the crowd was drowned out by a fierce roar; the dragon mother not amused in the slightest.

"If you will allow me to continue…" Fleur started once more. Like before, the dragon had no time for the Champion's words and breathed fire at the blonde. This time, Hermione didn't panic as she knew that her mate had taken cover in time. _Come on Fleur,_ she clenched her fists tightly, _you can do this._

Not even a second after the flames dissipated, Fleur picked up the shield and started running towards the dragon. Another roar sounded as the Veela approached and as soon as she was within striking distance, the dragon snapped her head out, her massive jaws opening wide to snatch the blonde. Rather than duck for cover, Fleur approached the beast head on. Hermione swore there was a smile on her face.

In what seemed like a second, her Champion was before the gaping mouth, those sharp teeth large and rather intimidating from even Hermione's seat. Before the dragon had a chance to snap out at the blonde, Fleur quickly brought up the shield and shoved it long ways between its teeth, effectively stopping the beast from closing her mouth. She then wasted no time in sprouting her wings and springing into the air, all the while watching the dragon struggle with the shield stuck in its jaws.

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief at both the fact that her mate was (temporarily) safe and the shouts of encouragement the hovering Veela produced. There were a few angry mutterings (mostly from the Durmstrang lot), but that didn't matter at this point. All that mattered was Fleur finishing this Task as quickly (and safely) as possible.

-oOo-

Fleur could not help the screech of excitement that bubbled up as she hovered over the Arena. Never before had her speed and agility been tested like this and even the Veela within enjoyed the challenge. When they had first entered the Arena and saw the open skies, the Veela had suggested a simple race, that maybe the dragon would be willing to work peacefully for the golden egg. Her challenge, of course, had not been issued since the dragon had decided to attack first and listen later.

 **This is so much more fun though,** the Veela screeched again, calling to their mate and Sisters and smiling when they heard them respond.

Fleur spared a quick glance towards the judges to see their reactions; she had to admit that they were better than she expected. Dumbledore seemed to be enjoying himself, sitting at the edge of his seat with a bright smile on his face. Bagman, who was also smiling, was talking nonstop into a microphone, though what he was saying was lost to Fleur. _Must have a silencing charm around them as well,_ Fleur shrugged and spared a glance towards the Durmstrang Headmaster. The man was on his feet, red faced and shouting at her. At times he would turn towards Dumbledore and wave his arms about, but was ultimately ignored. Finally, Maxime (Fleur smirked at the half-Giantess) had her face completely wrapped in a scarf with only her eyes visible, though Fleur could imagine the great scowl on her face. A portion of the blackness could still be seen as it had extended around the headmistress's right eye causing her smirk to widen.

While looking at Maxime, Fleur quickly brought her left hand up and tapped her middle finger to her temple before turning it around to the Headmistress. The eyes narrowed even more and while the full insult was probably lost on her, Fleur could hear the laughter from her family.

A muffled roar caught her attention and she turned her gaze back to the dragon. She still had not been able to remove the shield lodged in her jaws and was roaring her displeasure while spitting fire everywhere. Fleur spared a wince at the increased difficulty of the challenge ( _never considered that,_ she thought to the Veela), before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. For the first time since arriving at this dull, cold place, the sun was out and the weather mildly warm. The heat felt welcoming to her, warming both her dark wings and the pendent at her breast. She sent a quick thanks to Apollo for being with her before looking back down at the dragon and smirking.

 _We got this._

Fleur quickly conjured a long, metal chain, adding links as she watched the struggling dragon. _She is ignoring us for now,_ Fleur inspected, _if we can secure at least two of her feet and maybe her jaw a little more, we can easily take the egg._

 **If not, then we try and be as annoying as possible until she raises up and we can quickly dart under her.**

Fleur frowned at the thought. _That increases the risk to both us and the eggs if she would stomp on them._

 **Necessary risk.**

Nodding once at the plan, Fleur tucked in her wings and dove down, catching the dragons attention as she darted in front of her. The right front foot quickly lifted up and tried to snatch the Veela, but Fleur was able to dodge the sharp claws while wrapping the one end of the chain around the leg, securing it with another conjured link.

 **We need to hurry,** the Veela called out, **the links will not last long**. Fleur sent back a confirmation as she finished the spell and shot back in the air.

She avoided a spray of fire as she passed the dragon's head and tugged on the chain, ensuring its tightness. The dragon quickly tugged back, nearly pulling Fleur out of the sky, and raised her left foot to try and grab ahold of the line. Fleur darted back down and caught the claw in a loop, wrapping the chain around it a few times to make the length between the two feet as short as possible.

While she was conjuring another link, Fleur quickly looked behind her to the see the clutch almost in reach. _If I could just sneak under the dragon_ , she spared a glance at the struggling beast's head, _then I could snatch the damn egg and be done with this stupidity._ Just as she turned to try and grab the object, Fleur heard a loud clang and a triumphant roar. She had enough time to mentally prepare herself before turning to see the gaping jaw of the dragon in front of her, red hot flames emerging in the back of the beast's throat.

Fleur felt the Veela take over as it grabbed ahold of the other end of the chain and dart forward, narrowly avoiding the stream of fire that passed them by. She winced as she felt a few of her feathers be burned off and knew that their ability to fly was now hindered.

 _We have to finish this soon,_ she desperately thought as the Veela quickly wrapped the chain around the dragon's head as they passed. It did not respond, instead choosing to loop it once more before completing their flight away from the flames and turned to travel along the spiked back.

They struggled to stay in the air ( **we cannot fall,** they gritted their teeth) as they flew over the dragon until they were beside the hind leg that the handlers chained. Fleur quickly attached her conjured tether to theirs, hoping all the while that the first links were still holding strong. Just as she finished, the Veela gave a warning to duck and Fleur watched as a long, scaled tail whipped over their head.

Fleur quickly jumped into the air once more to survey the contained beast and breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of the massive head still connected to the front feet. _I cannot believe that worked,_ she brushed a hand through her hair as she watched the dragon struggle.

 **Fly, you fool. Conjured objects do not last!** The Veela screamed at her, angling their body downwards. Fleur winced at the pull of the burn as it sent them racing towards the golden egg with one mighty stroke.

As soon as they grabbed the egg, the roar of the crowd nearly deafened them (they had been surprisingly quiet during the Task, so their sudden noise startled them). Fleur took control before landing roughly in front of the tent, stumbling slightly, and pulled her wings in. She could hear the calls of her family and quickly turned to look at them. The sight of her smiling mate caused relief to swell within her (whether it was from the Bond or her own emotion, Fleur could not tell) and brought a broad smile to her own face.

Fleur quickly raised the golden egg above her head victoriously and the crowd once more cheered. A chant of her name had been started somewhere and was soon picked up by the rest of the crowd causing her to gaze around in shock.

The Veela sent her a smirk, **See, once again you were worried for nothing. You should listen to me more often.** She simply told it to shut up.

A spark to her left caught her attention and settled the crowd down. Looking over, she saw the smiling face of Dumbledore standing from his seat and looking at her. He quickly waved his wand before bringing it to his throat, "That was a spectacular performance by the Beauxbaton's Champion, wouldn't you all agree?"

The crowd cheered again before he raised his hand, calling for silence. After they had quieted back down, Dumbledore continued, "For your effective use of conjuring and entrapment of the dragon that kept both the eggs and the dragon safe, I award you nine of the ten points." As the crowd cheered Dumbledore waved his wand and produced a silvery nine in front of him.

Fleur could not keep the look of shock off her face as Bagman then spoke next, "I must say, I haven't seen that good of flying since my own Quidditch career. I too award you nine points for a most spectacular display." She laughed in disbelief as he too shot out a silvery nine. _These people are either idiots or do not care that I am Veela,_ she shook her head as the cheering grew louder.

Crouch, who she had not noticed before, stood up next and frowned down at her. Nothing was said for a moment and the crowd soon started muttering about the lack of points being counted. Fleur never took her eyes off the man, knowing that if anyone was going to call her out for being a Veela, it was either going to be him or Maxime.

Finally, he brought his wand up to his throat and asked, "Miss Delacour, did you read the contract before being Chosen?"

She swallowed thickly before bringing her own wand up, muttering the Sonorus charm before speaking, "No Monsieur, but I read it afterwards." She started to lower her wand before quickly bringing it back up, "I also know zee law zat you are zinking of and I 'ave not broken it for I did not enter zis Tournament voluntarily."

Muttering broke out once more amongst the students, but Fleur ignored them the best that she could. She wished that this conversation had taken place at the start of this whole incident and they were not before all three schools, but she was not going to let the opportunity pass her by again.

"That is quite an accusation, Miss Delacour." Crouch darted his eyes around the Arena.

"Oui, it is, but I 'ave zee proof in zee form of a memory if you wish it."

Karkaroff quickly stood up and once more began shouting, waving his arms about as Crouch ignored him. Fleur could imagine what he was saying; that a Creature was illegally entered in the Tournament and that she was trying to get out of trouble by whatever means necessary. She raised an eyebrow at his stupidity.

Crouch soon waved him away, "I do not think that necessary. I'm sure your…um," he darted his eyes around before looking back at her, "your country is looking into it."

She simply nodded and smirked at the enraged Maxime.

"Good, good." Crouch brought out a handkerchief and wiped his brow, seeming nervous all of a sudden, "Now that that's taken care of, I award you seven points for a job well done. Could've been done faster and more efficiently, but the Task is still completed." Fleur nodded once in respect at the man (who quickly returned the gesture) as the crowd clapped approvingly at the silvery seven.

Before anybody else had a chance to stand, Maxime quickly drew her wand and cast out angry, red sparks, narrowing her eyes into slits at the blonde. The act shocked the crowd and Fleur could hear confused murmurings from the students. It did not affect her though, the only thing she did was laugh.

The entirety of the Arena (even the dragon and her handlers) fell silent as she continued to laugh at the half-Giantess. She was still chuckling as she brought her wand to her throat and simply said, **"** _Oh dear Traitor, if you think there is a happy ending for you, then you had better think again. These little temper tantrums will only make your punishment worse and as soon as we are back in my territory, you will get what is coming to you, that I can promise._ **"**

Shaking her head once more at the furious woman, Fleur turned her attention to the still fuming Karkaroff, "If you would be so kind, Monsieur, I would like to go find my mate soon." The man angrily waved his wand and produced a silvery one, dropping the enchantment almost as soon as it was formed. Fleur could hear the crowd booing as she bowed before the judges and simply said 'Merci'.

 _No need to be rude after all,_ Fleur tucked the golden egg under her arm and walked proudly into the tent, ignoring the painful pulling on her back, _the job is done. That is all that matters. Time to go collect my reward._

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

 **AN:** Jeez, this is what? The second, third chapter that I have to apologize for being late on? That's just shoddy work on my part and I am truly sorry. You guys deserve better than that. If it makes you feel any better, I've been running from sun up to way after sun down nearly everyday and I just haven't really had much time to work on it (I'm busier now than I ever was during school). I'm hoping (praying) I have the next chapter done by Monday, but I make no promises.

So, that's it for me. Here's the final part of the First Task and hopes that we can move past the boring HP plot for a bit.

 **Disclaimer:** Amazingly enough, I still don't own Harry Potter.

-xXx-

Harry walked out of the tent and looked around the rocky Arena nervously. He heard somebody shout out his name and several cheers accompany it, but he could not find it in himself to care about them too much. There was a dragon somewhere in there with him and the sooner he found it, the sooner he could stay away from it. He was keeping a close eye on his watch and as soon as it reached the five minute mark he was getting the Hell out of there.

 _Sorry Dumbledore,_ Harry chuckled to himself while slowly looking around himself, _I'm not going to be your 'Golden Boy' this time._

As he slowly crept up a rock, Harry suddenly gulped as he came face to face with the clutch of eggs, the sun glinting off of the golden egg and blinding him for a moment. He had accidently made his way to the center of the Arena and the crowd was going wild.

A growling behind him caused Harry to gulp again and slowly turn around.

There, slightly below him on the rocks, crouched down and hissing, was the Hungarian Horntail. The sight of its bright, yellow eyes focused on him caused Harry to whimper slightly. He couldn't help but be frozen in place as the dragon rose above him (causing Harry to fall down in fear) and open its mouth, bright red flames appearing in the back of its throat. All he felt in that moment was blind panic and a sense of dread as he threw his hands out in front of him and closed his eyes.

 _This is it,_ Harry whimpered.

However, the rush of flames never came. In fact, there was no sound at all from either the crowd or the dragon. Harry had the wild thought that this must be what it's like to be dead and that it was a lot quieter than he expected. The thought kind of depressed him. That was, at least, before he felt wind brush his hair.

Opening his eyes, Harry saw the dragon's snout close to him, snuffling his hair gently. He remained as still as possible as the dragon inspected him, glad that he wasn't burnt crispy, yet curious as to why she had stopped. After she was done smelling him, the great beast moved on to looking him over, walking around him slowly before curling around her eggs.

 **Ꞩ** _Well, you do not look like a hatchling, yet you smell and speak like one._ **Ꞩ** a voice said. Harry looked around in bewilderment, trying to find who had spoken to him, but only saw the Horntail looking at him intently.

"E-excuse me?" Harry swallowed thickly and looked at the dragon, wondering if this was another joke the universe was playing on him.

The dragon hissed and shook her head, **Ꞩ** _Do not speak in that tongue, Human Hatchling, or I may just eat you still._ **Ꞩ**

 **Ꞩ** _You speak Parseltounge?_ **Ꞩ** Harry cocked his head to the side before grinning widely, standing up and walking towards the dragon, **Ꞩ** _That's amazing! I didn't know that I could also talk to lizards._ **Ꞩ**

He was knocked back down before he had a chance to take more than a couple of steps. After shaking his head from where he hit it on a rock, Harry looked at the dragon in confusion. **Ꞩ** _Wha-?_ **Ꞩ**

 **Ꞩ** _I am a dragon._ **Ꞩ** she put her head up proudly, **Ꞩ** _Not a lizard. I don't do that tongue thing._ **Ꞩ** As if to emphasis this, she stuck her tongue out at him before turning away and looking at the crowd around them (who Harry could hear murmuring angrily).

 **Ꞩ** _I'm sorry, Great Mother, I meant no offence._ **Ꞩ** Harry moved and sat on a rock before the great beast. She waved her wing dismissively (at least Harry thought it was dismissively. He still wasn't entirely convinced that he wasn't dead, dreaming, or something in between) and he asked, **Ꞩ** _How did you know I speak Parseltongue? Last I thought, you were about to burn me to a crisp._ **Ꞩ**

The dragon turned to him and growled out a chuckle, **Ꞩ** _You asked me for forgiveness and, since it has been so long since I was able to talk to a Human, I decided to spare you and get some answers._ **Ꞩ**

 **Ꞩ** _I asked you for forgiveness? I don't remember that._ **Ꞩ**

Another chuckle, **Ꞩ** _Oh yes, you sounded quite scared._ **Ꞩ**

Harry rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, **Ꞩ** _You are quite fearsome looking, Great Mother._ **Ꞩ**

The dragon roared out a laugh and reached out to nudge him slightly (he nearly fell off the rock, but he appreciated the gesture). **Ꞩ** _Yes, I am, Human Hatchling, and you best not forget it. And, you do not need to refer to me as 'Great Mother'. My name is Kornélia._ **Ꞩ**

 **Ꞩ** _I'm Harry._ **Ꞩ** the Boy-Who-Lived shook his head at the weirdness of it all.

 **Ꞩ** _Well met, Harry._ **Ꞩ** Kornélia cocked her head to the side and looked at him, **Ꞩ** _I must ask you, you speak my language, something I thought that Humans had forgotten how to do many centuries ago, and you smell like family, yet you are Human. How?_ **Ꞩ**

Harry shrugged his shoulders, **Ꞩ** _I did not know that I smelled like family to you, so I do not know. And I have always been able to speak to sna-er-your kind, but I'm not sure why._ **Ꞩ** He tapped his finger to his chin in thought and muttered to himself, **Ꞩ** _Maybe I smell like family because I was bitten by a Basilisk a few years ago._ **Ꞩ**

Kornélia cocked her head to the side, **Ꞩ** _You were bitten by a Basilisk? And you lived?_ **Ꞩ** Harry nodded. **Ꞩ** _I am impressed. Not many can claim to be bitten by the Deadly Stare and live._ **Ꞩ**

He shrugged once more, **Ꞩ** _I'm just trying to stay alive at this point._ **Ꞩ**

Harry grinned up at the dragon as she gave another booming laugh. He took a quick glance at the crowd around them and saw that everybody was pointing at him and whispering to each other. _Probably think I'm going 'dark' again_ , he grimaced, _wonder how long it'll take them to get over it this time._ He looked towards the judges to see them all frowning at him. _Doesn't look like I'm getting any good marks for this either._

 **Ꞩ** _So, Harry the Bitten, tell me. Why am I and my clutch here?_ **Ꞩ**

The Boy-Who-Lived looked towards the dragon and watched as she nuzzled her eggs gently. The act caused warmth to swell in his chest and he wanted to 'awe' at the sight. _Kornélia might eat me if I do though_.

 **Ꞩ** _You are a part of the First Task of something called the Triwizard Tournament._ **Ꞩ** He gestured around them at the crowd, **Ꞩ** _Everybody here was hoping to see me battle you for the fake egg in your nest._ **Ꞩ**

 **Ꞩ** _Fake egg?_ **Ꞩ** Kornélia looked at her eggs critically and gently picked up the golden egg in her teeth. She set it on a rock a bit away and looked back to him, **Ꞩ** _You were to get this?_ **Ꞩ**

Harry nodded his head.

 **Ꞩ** _That was stupid of them. Do they not know that we could easily kill you?_ **Ꞩ**

 **Ꞩ** _I think that's what the handlers are for. To prevent that._ **Ꞩ**

Kornélia snorted, **Ꞩ** _You mean our servants? We allow them to stay around us because they are useful. Do you really think we would allow Humans to actually 'handle' us?_ **Ꞩ**

 **Ꞩ** _I did think it rather silly, to be honest._ **Ꞩ**

The dragon suddenly got a gleam in her eye and snaked her giant head towards him. Even though Harry knew that Kornélia wouldn't eat him (at least, not right now), the sight of her sharp teeth and even sharper horns still made him nervous.

 **Ꞩ** _Let me guess. If I understand Human games correctly, you need to get this egg in the least amount of time possible, right?_ **Ꞩ**

Harry gulped and nodded once more

Kornélia moved closer until they were nearly face to snout, **Ꞩ** _Tell me, Harry. Are you still interested in winning in this Tournament?_ **Ꞩ**

 **Ꞩ** _N-not really._ **Ꞩ** Harry leaned back slightly to try and stay away from the dragon's teeth.

 **Ꞩ** _Good._ **Ꞩ** Kornélia moved back and made herself comfortable (Harry breathed a quick sigh of relief), **Ꞩ** _Then, young Hatchling, let me tell you the story of my first flight. It's amazing and I'm sure you will laugh. There I was, high on the peak with my Clutch Siblings…_ **Ꞩ**

As Kornélia told her story, Harry crossed his legs and leaned forward, ignoring the angry mutterings of the restless crowd. _It's not every day that I get to talk with a dragon,_ Harry chuckled at both the thought and the tale being told, _I'm going to keep this conversation going for as long as I can. To Hell with everybody else._

-oOo-

"I wish I had brought a deck of Exploding Snaps." Ron muttered, leaning his chin on his hands in boredom.

"You and me both, mate." Seamus had his head in his hands, not even looking into the Arena anymore.

Hermione simply sighed and leaned back, smiling at the mutterings of a few of the Veela agreeing with Ron. She couldn't help but be happy with the turn of events. Her mate was done and safe and Harry was calmly sitting there, laughing with a dragon.

"I can't believe that he is having a conversation with a bloody dragon! I bet Charlie is flipping out." Ron shook his head, "He's always wanted to talk to a dragon."

"Is zat what 'arry is doing?"

Hermione looked up at the familiar musical voice and couldn't keep the grin off of her face. There, slowly walking towards them, was her lovely Fleur. Many of the surrounding students turned to watch the Veela make her way towards them and either complemented her performance or wolf-whistled at her attire. The flirtatious shouts directed at her mate didn't bother Hermione like before. The bright smile that was produced when their eyes met was the only thing she cared about.

"Fleur." she breathed before rising to her feet and making her way to the blonde, pulling her in for a passionate kiss as soon as she could. Hermione ignored the resulting catcalls and whistles, instead smiling at the loud thud of the golden egg being dropped and arms wrapping around her waist to pull her closer. She couldn't help the hum that was produced (or her smile widening at the purr emitting from Fleur) as she reached her hands up to cup the blonde's cheeks and pull her closer.

" **Are you going to wipe away the paint now, Maya? I am sure that is something that the students would all enjoy."**

Hermione broke off the kiss and turned to glare at the laughing Veela, Amélie smirking in her direction as the others also called out to them.

" **You are just jealous that I am going to be wiping the paint away from Fleur and not from you."** Hermione raised her eyebrow at the redhead.

The Veela widened her smirk slightly before laughing, **"You wish, Feline."**

" **Enough."** Fleur called out, **"Amélie, stop teasing my mate. Although,"** she tightened her hold on Hermione and leaned down to whisper in her ear, **"you did effectively throw off any unwanted suitors."**

Hermione looked around at the surrounding students. The Beauxbaton students were all used to the display and were just grinning at them. The Hogwarts and Durmstrang lot, on the other hand, were all staring at them wide eyed and opened mouth. Hermione snurled her nose in disgust as she saw more than a few boys covering their fronts with their hands.

" **Or I just made everything worse."** Hermione blushed under all the attention

Fleur simply laughed before bending down to pick up the golden egg and grabbing ahold of her hand, taking them back to her seat. Hermione was unceremoniously pulled onto Fleur's lap and quickly snuggled in as the blonde buried her face in her curls, breathing deeply before sighing. She took a quick glance over to her friends and saw Ron's bright red face in his hands while both Seamus and Dean were staring at her in awe.

"You okay, Ron?" she couldn't help but ask, worried about the silent boy.

"Oh yea, I'm great." Came the muttered response. "Just warn a bloke next time you decide to snog your girlfriend, yea?"

Seamus muttered, "Or not. You don' have to really."

"If you wanted to," Dean cocked his head to the side, "you could continue. Like, right now."

"Yea, we definitely wouldn' mind."

Hermione blushed while Fleur chuckled gently. Rather than address the two, she turned around slightly to look at the blonde, frowning at the thick bandage on her shoulder. "You're hurt."

Fleur shrugged and pulled her closer, nuzzling into her neck and placing a kiss against the silver collar. **"** _I will be alright,_ **"** she muttered before placing another behind Hermione's ear, **"** _Fire does not mark a Veela forever and it is not as bad as it seems._ **"**

Hermione swallowed thickly, **"** _Maybe you should rest then, yes? I do not want to make it worse._ **"**

Dark blue eyes rose and met amber, sending a shutter along Hermione's spine. Fleur's smirk didn't even register with her as she leaned their foreheads together and Hermione felt her breath catch at the intense gaze.

" _Trust me, it will not get worse._ **"** Fleur whispered before those dark eyes squinted in amusement, **"** _No matter how hard you grip it._ **"**

Hermione felt Thrall rush over her and couldn't stop herself from connecting their lips once more, moaning at the taste of her mate. She wasn't sure if it was because of the Bond, the Thrall, or the fact that Fleur had been in danger, but for some reason Hermione couldn't get close enough to her. A hand quickly buried itself in her hair, drawing her even closer, as a thumb gently rubbed at her hip. Teeth nipped at her bottom lip gently and Hermione opened her mouth, humming at the intensified feeling. She braced one hand on her mate's shoulder while she worked the other to try and find a way under the tight leather of the vest. Hermione cursed the position they were in and tried to turn and straddle the blonde only to have the hand tighten around her waist. A growl formed in the back of her throat before the teeth bit her again, harder this time, which caused her to gasp at the pain. She frowned as Fleur pushed displeasure through the Bond before connecting their lips once more, sweeping her away in a haze of Thrall.

"Oh bloody Hell." Ron suddenly muttered and stood up, elbowing Hermione in the back in the process. She quickly broke the kiss before looking at him in confusion (wondering more where he had come from than what he was doing) as he cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, "Harry! For the love of Merlin, get on with it! I can't stand it anymore."

A good portion of the crowd began laughing and giving their own shouts to the Boy-Who-Lived. Hermione's brain slowly caught up with her and she immediately blushed at all of the attention they had drawn (it seemed as if everybody but a few in front was staring in shock). _Stupid hormones,_ she scowled to herself as all the surrounding Veela began teasing them about the display.

While Fleur teased back, Hermione saw Harry look towards the stands before sighing and turning back to the dragon. It looked as if Harry was disappointed. _He really can't be enjoying talking with a dragon, can he?_ She was brought out of her thoughts as she felt Fleur chuckle once more as their family settled down and pull her closer. Hermione bit her lip as the purring vibrations against her back reignited the fire in the pit of her belly.

 _Hurry up, Harry._

-oOo-

 **Ꞩ** _I think that's my cue to leave._ **Ꞩ** Harry frowned slightly. He was having a great time talking with Kornélia and had completely lost track of time.

 **Ꞩ** _Yes, it sounds like it._ **Ꞩ** the dragon breathed a huffing chuckle before stretching her neck out to the golden egg and gently picking it up in her jaws. Harry watched as she swung back around and laid it beside him, licking it once before pulling back.

Harry didn't even look at the egg, instead cocking his head to the side. **Ꞩ** _I thought we agreed that I didn't care much for competing in the Tournament. Why give me the egg?_ **Ꞩ**

Kornélia did something similar to a shrug as she looked at him, **Ꞩ** _I enjoyed our talk and since that is what you came in here to get, I figured you might as well have it. Now, Harry the Bitten, I believe it is time that I leave this land, don't you?_ **Ꞩ**

Harry nodded and stood up, picking up the golden egg and smiling at the dragon. **Ꞩ** _It's been a pleasure talking with you, Kornélia._ **Ꞩ**

 **Ꞩ** _You too, young Human Hatchling._ **Ꞩ** she gave another roaring laugh before looking towards the approaching handlers.

Harry beamed at an awestruck Charlie (not that the rest of the handlers looked any different) before turning around to head into the tent. He had only gotten a few steps before a nagging sensation of him forgetting something struck him. As he made it off of the central rocky island, he wanted to hit himself as he remembered that he hadn't cast a spell yet.

Remembering his manners, Harry turned around and called out to the dragon, **Ꞩ** _Great Mother! Do you mind if I cast a spell? I need to so I can satisfy a condition for the Tournament._ **Ꞩ**

 **Ꞩ** _Go ahead, Harry the Bitten. Though, I want you to impress me._ **Ꞩ** Kornélia settled back down as she watched him intently. All of the handlers too paused as they had heard the hissing call.

Harry frowned and thought of all of the spells he had learnt over the years. _What impresses a dragon? Especially one as fierce as her…If I had time to summon my broom, I could show her my flying skills, but that would take too long. I wish I knew a fancy fire spell._ Suddenly, something Hermione had said earlier that month came to mind. When she had shown them her saber tooth form, she had also taken the time to explain her way of doing magic. Something about feeling the magic deep within and pushing it out while willing it to do what she wanted. _If I could do that, surely I can think of something that would impress her._

He quickly placed the golden egg on the ground and closed his eyes, praying to every deity he had heard of that this would work. Harry reached deep inside himself to where he thought his magic should be. He figured it was like the first time he correctly cast the Patronus charm, he just had to reach deep, stay calm, and think really hard.

Smiling as he felt a warming sensation ( _this must be it_ ), he opened his eyes, pointed his wand into the sky, and pushed the magic out with all of his might. His initial thought was 'fireball', but as the warmth of the magic turned into a searing, almost uncontrollable heat, he changed his mind to 'snake'. Something in him said that this was the best course of action so he prayed that it was right.

At first, nothing was produced other than a few sparks and the heating of air, but the more energy he pushed into the spell, a stream of red hot fire soon appeared. He felt himself grow lightheaded as the stream of fire grew thicker and longer and reared up as if it were alive. By the time Harry knew his magic was exhausted, the fire snake was nearly twice as tall as him and it swayed back and forth while looking out at the crowd.

Feeling like he should end the spell, Harry tried to withdraw the snake, but it soon turned on him and hissed, the heat of the flame nearly burning his face. He tried again, attempting to push his magic back down as the crowd began to scream in fright as the fire snake turned on him. Harry's hand was shaking so badly that he dropped his wand and soon dropped to his knees as the last of his energy left him. He stared up at the slowly approaching snake, watching the flames of its body dance and sway with each movement.

Suddenly, a mighty roar could be heard throughout the Arena and Kornélia swooped in and tackled the snake, batting the flames out with her wings. Harry panted as he watched his magic burst into millions of tiny sparks, some leaping out at him and singeing his jacket and burning his skin. The crowd around him gasped and soon began applauding, some even chanting his name. Harry heard none of it as he bowed his head before the dragon, ashamed of himself for not being able to control his magic.

 **Ꞩ** _That was a foolish thing to do, Human Hatchling._ **Ꞩ** the dragon swung her massive head before him and hissed, **Ꞩ** _Uncontrollable magic is the most dangerous thing in this world. Haven't these Magicals taught you that?_ **Ꞩ**

 **Ꞩ** _I-I'm sorry G-great Mother._ **Ꞩ** Harry panted. He felt tears fill his eyes at the thought of the one being, other than his friends, who showed him love and support, judging him for his actions. He quickly fell forward until he was on his hands and knees, unable to look up at the dragon. **Ꞩ** _I only wished to impress you. Nothing I can do other than flying would impress you and I didn't have time to summon my broom. I thought that, if I produced a large enough flame, then you would enjoy it. And I put us all in danger because of my stupidity._ **Ꞩ**

He heard a heaving sigh and felt a soft nudge to his head. Harry looked up to see Kornélia looking at him, her golden eyes seeming almost soft. **Ꞩ** _Young hatchling, trust me, anything you had done would've impressed me. It is not very often that I get to see Human Magic so I was curious. While what you did could've been fatal, be happy that you were able to produce any fire at all. In fact, because of your attempt at harnessing the flame, I have thought of another gift for you._ **Ꞩ**

Harry looked up curiously just in time to see the great dragon open her jaws and send a long, hot breath towards him. Small sparks could be seen emerging from her throat and he couldn't help but reflexively suck in a breath of shock. As soon as he did, he felt his throat and lungs begin to burn and he felt the need to cough, but couldn't. Harry quickly blinked as his eyes started to water and burn from the breath. A blinding pain exploded behind his scar and nearly caused him to cry out, but his throat burned too badly to produce any sound. However, just as he had reached his pain threshold, the burning and the pain stopped. Harry couldn't help the dopy grin he felt form on his face at the sensations left behind. His eyes were still watering and the world had turned oddly blurry, while his throat felt like he had been sucking on a cinnamon candy all day. His mind also felt fuzzy, almost lighter somehow, as if he had eaten one of the Twins' prototype candies again that caused him to see things. _It feels good though,_ he couldn't help but think giddily, _like sunshine and rainbows and daisies._

He wasn't aware that Kornélia was done until he felt her nudge the golden egg back into his arms. He instinctively clutched it to him and reached down blindly for his wand ( _should probably grab that_ , he giggled). As soon as he found it, Harry stood up (wobbling a bit) and was turned around by the dragon and nudged forward, nearly losing his balance on the unstable ground.

 **Ꞩ** _Go on, young Harry the Bitten, and may the fire burn your enemies to the ground._ **Ꞩ** He heard her roaring laugh again and felt his smile grow as he was led by somebody into the tent.

-oOo-

"You blooming idiot!" Hermione shouted, walking up to the emerging Boy-Who-Lived and swatting at him. She narrowed her eyes as he just grinned in her direction, his eyes wide and unfocused. "Do you realize what that type of magic could have done?! Do you not realize that you could've been killed!?"

" _Easy, my love,_ **"** hands gripped her shoulders and pulled her back slightly, **"** _something tells me that he is not aware of much at this point._ **"**

Fleur had a point. Harry was swaying in place, smiling dopily at them while his eyes wandered about. Hermione cocked her head to the side and shoved his shoulder. The boy fell back a few paces before finally regaining his balance (what little of it he had) and began giggling to himself.

"Harry?" Ron asked coming up beside her and also looking at the bespectacled boy, "You alright mate?"

"Ffffine." Harry slurred before giggling once more. "I am fffine. Fine as wine. Lifffe is fine."

Fleur slapped her hand over her mouth as she began laughing at him while Hermione just looked at her. "What in Merlin's name is wrong with him?

The blonde took several deep breathes to try and calm herself before smiling at her, " 'e is fire drunk."

"I-I'm sorry, what?" Ron shook his head, "Uh…er…what was that again?"

Hermione slapped a hand over her eyes as Fleur turned to the redhead. Before she had a chance to say anything, Harry drunkenly walked up to Ron and threw an arm around his shoulders.

"Why…you ask so many questions?" Ron stumbled slightly as the Boy-Who-Lived tightened his grip. Harry had his eyes closed and was twisting his head back and forth, the grin never leaving his face, "Everything is fffine, Ron." The giggling returned as Harry repeated the word 'fine' in his drunken slur.

" 'Fire Drunkness' is somezing zat only creatures of fire can truly obtain." Fleur motioned down at herself and gestured back at the passing group of Veela. "It 'appens wiz Veela all zee time. What it is, is when we over use our fire, we can be given a supplement zat quickly replenishes it. Zis rapid…uh…up and down of energy levels can leave zee creature feeling giddy."

"But Harry isn't a fire creature." Ron was now almost fully supporting the boy in question as he was leaning back and shouting 'fine' to the sky.

Fleur shrugged, "I guess it is because 'e used such a large amount of magic for a fire spell zat zee dragon zought 'e needed replenishing. Do not worry zough, zis will not 'urt 'im. Magicals 'ave been trying, and nearly succeeding, to obtain zee same effects zrough Firewhiskey."

Ron tugged Harry back into a standing position. "Bloody Hell. How long does this last?"

"No clue." Fleur shrugged once more. They all watched as Harry looked back down towards them and hissed something. Whatever he said sent the Boy-Who-Lived into another giggling fit, causing him to finally drop the golden egg he was loosely gripping.

All of a sudden, Harry gave a sort of hic-cough and they all watched wide-eyed as a small jet of flame shot out of his mouth and onto the grass. Even Harry stopped his giggling to look down at the scorched ground in awe. The black haired boy looked back up at them with a look of shock and began laughing. He hissed something towards them, leaned his head back once more, and started roaring.

"Blimey Harry." Ron shook his head at him before giving Hermione a look. "Just once I'd like, for a single day, to be completely normal, ya know? That's it. Just one day. Normal friends, normal life, normal school, the whole works. Is that too much to ask?"

"Let's just get him to his dorm so he can sleep it off." Hermione bent down and picked up the egg, grimacing at the sliminess that it was coated in. _Forgot the dragon licked it._

"But what about his score? Shouldn't we stay to find out what he got?"

"He'll find out tomorrow, I'm sure." Hermione frowned at Harry before starting off towards the castle. "By the looks of the judges during his performances though, Fleur and him are going to be fighting for last place."

Both Ron and Fleur laughed at this and started to follow her. Harry had Ron's neck in a tight grip and was alternating between hissing something in Parseltongue at the sky and roaring at everybody they passed. _Looks like the Boy-Who-Lived is going to stir up the rumor mill again._ Hermione shook her head at the bewildered looks from the students and continued on her way. _Serves him right for being a bloody idiot._

Warmth suddenly bloomed across the Bond and had her stopping and breathing quickly. Fire raced up and down Hermione's spine before resting in the pit of her belly, making her go weak at the knees as a wave of pleasure shot through her. Quickly turning around, the brunette licked her suddenly dry lips as the dark eyes of her mate looked her up and down, a smirk forming on the Veela's face.

"Um, actually Ron," Hermione started, her eyes remaining locked with those of her mate's.

"Nope, nope. I don't want to know. I don't need to know. Don't tell me. I don't care. Go ahead, I don't see you going. I've got this." Ron muttered as he trudged past them, grabbing the egg from her hands with Harry giggling along beside him.

Hermione didn't turn to watch them go, instead staring at a predatory Fleur. The blonde's smirk grew as she bit her lip and walked back a pace, her hands twitching at her sides. With a sudden smirk of her own, Hermione quickly turned on her heel and darted away, racing towards the Beauxbatons' carriage. A bright smile formed on her face as she heard her laughing mate behind her.

-xXx-

 **AN:** Duner89 I swear to you that I had this chapter wrote when you made that review in Ch 27. You can't imagine how hard I laughed when I saw your hope.

 **Thanks for reading!**


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

 **AN** **:** What's up everyone? How's it going? Did you think I forgot about you (or this story)? Well, rest assured that I didn't. Life threw a series of unfortunate events my way and it grew harder and harder to write. I'm not going to apologize for it because there was literally nothing I could do but hang on and hope for the best.

So, for this chapter. At the urgings of several of you (and because I felt it necessary at this point in the story) this chapter is NSFW. Not as bad as some of the fics out there, but more so than my last chapter of this kind of scene. If you don't like it (or this wasn't what you wanted) then...um...super sorry for you, but I needed this. I think I needed this way more than I realized actually. I do hope you guys enjoy it though.

 **Disclaimer:** Still don't own Harry Potter. Even after all this time.

-xXx-

Hermione moaned lowly, the feeling of teeth and lips working at her collarbone sending her mind into a clouded haze. Her hands were buried in the thick, wavy blonde hair that she loved so much and she tugged on the strands, urging her mate on. A thought was attempting to break through the dense Haze to remind her of something. _Was there something I'm supposed to do?_ She panted, _somewhere I'm supposed to be?_ Deft hands finished unbuttoning her shirt and wrapped around her waist, pulling her further onto the lap she was straddling and causing the nagging sensation to leave her completely.

Another moan worked its way up her throat as she began to rock her hips, dragging her center along her mate's leg, slowly building the fire within her. A chuckle interrupted the constant humping of her hips and the animalistic desire Hermione was trying to fulfill against her protector. Looking into Fleur's eyes, she saw the amusement of her mate watching the smaller teen lose all sense of humility and blushed brightly. Fleur, smirking at the embarrassment present on Hermione's face, hooked a finger through the D ring and brought her forward with a tug on the collar that claimed her as Fleur's and Fleur's alone. She was pulled into a loving battle of tongues, the French witch set on dominating her submissive mate.

Too soon ( _way too soon_ ), the lips pulled back leaving her breathless. Hermione groaned at their loss and began to rock faster, all the while staring intensely into dark blue eyes. Fleur smirked and gripped her hips firmly, bringing her grinding to a halt.

Hermione couldn't help but whine pitifully in the back of her throat, begging her mate to let her finish. _Come on Fleur._ She jerked slightly against the firm hands and winced as fingernails dug into her skin.

" _Fleur,_ **"** she groaned out, gripping the silky strands tightly, **"** _please._ **"**

Another chuckle, **"** _Not yet, my love. You are my prize and I am going to enjoy you._ **"** Fleur moved her hands to her shoulders and slipped underneath her open shirt. Not needing anymore prompting, Hermione quickly discarded her top, groaning as her bra shortly followed and a mouth attached to one of her breasts.

Hermione pulled Fleur closer to her, loving the way her mate felt as she alternated between a gentle sucking and hard nips. She continuously ran her hands through blonde locks and across soft skin, not being able to keep still as she was slowly built into a frenzy. As her hand delicately made its way down a slim neck, Hermione suddenly frowned at the feeling of roughness where she knew it didn't belong. Her eyes snapped open and gazed at the gaudy white bandage on Fleur's shoulder.

" _I wish you had never been Chosen._ **"** She placed her lips against the blonde head, trying to contain her sorrow that threatened to ruin the mood.

Fleur raised up and lightly connected their lips once more while pushing love through the Bond. Hermione smiled sadly into the kiss, knowing that there was no way to change anything at this point. _The only thing I can do is be here._

" _If you think this is bad, you should have seen Diggory and Krum._ **"** Fleur chuckled slightly, nudging their noses together so that they could whisper against each other's lips when she felt Hermione's frown. **"** _It is not as bad as it seems, my love, I promise. She just lightly grazed my wing. That is it._ **"**

Hermione raised up to inspect the bandage closer, noticing that it covered Fleur's entire shoulder blade and smelled strongly of healing potion. A portion of it went under the blonde's vest and Hermione quickly took the leather piece off so there was no pressure on the wound. She gently rubbed at a few red places where the edges dug into skin much to Fleur's amusement.

A head came to rest against hers, **"** _If you wanted my top off, all you had to do was ask._ **"** Teeth nipped at her earlobe causing her to gasp.

" _That is not what it is and you know it._ **"**

Fleur sighed, **"** _I know, but I do not want you to worry. I am fine, I promise._ **"**

Hermione smoothed her hands down Fleur's arms, rubbing lightly at the magical symbols. She watched as the golden paint rubbed away revealing clear, alabaster skin underneath. A grateful hum formed deep in her throat as no other damage could be seen on her mate.

" _See, only the small burn._ **"** Fleur kissed the top of her head as she leaned against her chest, calming further at the gentle thumping of the blonde's heart.

" _Does not seem so small to me._ **"** She murmured into the safety of her mate's chest.

A scoff, **"** _That is because that Madame Pomphrey does not know, or want to know, Veela physiology. She treated me as one would a Magical and, despite me telling her otherwise, insisted that she bandage everything up with potions and all. It is really not as bad as it seems._ **"**

" _Are you sure?_ **"**

" _Promise._ **"** Fleur's smirk came back as she slipped her hands underneath Hermione's skirt, nails digging lightly along her thighs. As the brunette leaned her head back, gasping at the mixture of pleasure and pain, Fleur whispered, **"** _Actually, since you are so worried, you could give me a full body inspection. Just to make sure I am telling the truth._ **"**

" _Oh, I could?_ **"** Hermione's snort quickly changed to a gasp as nails dug deeper into her buttocks, bringing her even tighter against the blonde.

" _If you are not interested,_ **"** Fleur placed a quick kiss against the tendon in her neck, **"** _then I could just get on with my surprise._ **"**

Hermione gripped her shoulders tightly (attempting to be careful with the bandage) and gasped out, **"** _Su-surprise?_ **"**

She nipped at her chest causing Hermione's back to arch, **"** _Mhmm. I picked us up something before we left France and I have been dying to use it._ **"**

" _What is it?_ **"**

" _If I told you, it would not be much of a surprise, no?_ **"**

Hermione groaned deeply as she started to rock her hips again, Fleur's hands guiding her while her mouth was suckling at her breast. **"** _That is not fair, Fleur._ **"** She managed to gasp, her mind blanking as the pleasure started to build.

" _All is fair, my love._ **"** Their lips briefly connected in a passionate kiss before Fleur pulled back with a hum, **"** _Actually, I changed my mind. I want that talented tongue of yours first._ **"**

Hermione would've rolled her eyes at the request if it didn't send shudders up and down her spine; the sweet taste of her mate never failed to drive her crazy. She could feel her own panties soak through as she tried to contain her excitement.

The brunette tried to hide her smirk as she raised an eyebrow at the blonde, **"** _I would gladly please you, but there seems to be an article of clothing in the way, my dear, and I am afraid that you will have to remove them because I am not quite sure how you got them on._ **"**

Fleur chuckled gently and reached out for her wand, nudging Hermione up and out of the way so she could wave it over herself. Hermione swallowed thickly as the leather pants dissolved, her eyes roaming greedily over the skin left behind.

" _Magic is a lovely thing, no?_ **"** Fleur threw her wand to the side and leaned back on her hands.

Hermione leaned forward for a chaste kiss. **"** _I knew there was no way you got those on without help._ **"** She mumbled, trailing her lips down the blonde's neck and over her chest. She wrapped her lips around a taunt nipple, sucking gently while her hand reached up to play with its twin.

A hand tangled in her curls, drawing her closer, as Fleur groaned out, **"** _You are so perceptive._ **"** Hermione switched to the other side, biting down much to the blonde's pleasure. The Veela's purr came back as pleasure reverberated up and down the Bond.

This only lasted a few moments before Fleur groaned out, **"** _Maya, I need you._ **"** She tugged at her hair urgently while her hips thrust upwards. Hermione placed a quick kiss against the hard nub before moving up to do the same to the love rune over the blonde's heart before working her way down, kissing every inch of skin she could. Her mate groaned again as she finally made her way between her legs. The sweet scent nearly overwhelmed her and Hermione took a moment to appreciate it.

" _Please, my love, I cannot take much more teasing._ **"**

Hermione chuckled against the soaking flesh (Fleur's resulting moan bringing a smile to her face) before eagerly reaching her tongue out to taste sweet flesh. They both moaned at the connection, Fleur gently thrusting her hips while Hermione started plunging her tongue in and out. At one point she leaned up to wrap her lips around the clit, sucking hard and causing Fleur to rise completely out of her seat. The blonde gripped her hair tightly, keeping a firm hold as Hermione continued to plunge her tongue in and out, moaning continuously at the taste while trying to draw as much pleasure from the older girl as possible.

Thrall whipped around her, gliding over her skin and between her legs, stirring the fire within her. The more it urged her on, the faster she went and the faster she went, the more it urged her on. It was a never ending cycle with the moans and groans of her mate sounding above her and a firm hand on her head.

She never wanted it to stop.

However, with only a few more deep thrusts, Fleur arched off the bed, screaming her release. Hermione was only able to enjoy her orgasm for a few moments before she had to lean against the blonde's thigh, gasping as Thrall shot through her and sending heat to the pit of her belly. The fire burned almost as hot as the heat of her birthday, but this slowly ebbed away as Fleur calmed back down.

Hermione couldn't help but grin as her mate flopped back on the bed, out of breath and trying to rid the hair from her face. She gave a parting kiss to Fleur's thigh before working her way up her body, kissing the skin along the way before connecting their lips. Fleur moaned at the taste of herself, eagerly working her tongue in and out of her mouth much to Hermione's pleasure.

The brunette gasped as a thigh worked its way between hers, her hips unconsciously gliding across it as the heat flared hotter. The toned thigh felt so good against her core that she nearly came from the feeling alone. **"** _Fleur,_ **"** she groaned out, intending to say more, but unable to as Thrall whipped through her.

Fleur suddenly sat up (Hermione groaned at the loss of friction) and hiked her skirt up. A hand worked its way inside her panties and through the wetness causing them both to moan at the feeling. Just as she felt fingers position themselves at her entrance, Hermione reached down and grabbed ahold of Fleur's wrist (her body screaming at her for doing so).

"No." she panted, trying to remember what it was that had stopped Fleur. Thrall rubbed against her, gliding over her skin, tempting her, and Hermione almost gave in if it weren't for something nagging at the back of her mind.

" _What?_ **"** Fleur panted, resting their foreheads together as a hand squeezed and gripped her thigh. Hermione could feel the other hand move to simply cup her and smiled at the warmth.

Rubbing against the hand gently, Hermione managed to groan out "My surprise" causing Fleur to pull back and cock her head to the side. At the lack of response she continued, "You promised."

The silence nearly caused her to give in (only if her curiosity wasn't stronger than the demands of her body), but Hermione locked eyes with Fleur while sensing the fierce debate the blonde was having with the Veela.

Finally, Fleur sighed and brought her in for a sweet kiss before saying, **"** _Your curiosity is going to be the death of me._ **"**

Hermione simply hummed as she watched Fleur reach for her wand and summon something out of the closet. Her face scrunched up as a phallic object zoomed towards them.

"A dildo?" she asked, reaching her hand out to graze the item in amusement. She was surprised when it felt like skin rather than the hard rubber she was expecting.

" _Excuse me,_ **"** Fleur sniffed delicately, **"** _but it is a strap on._ **"**

The brunette deadpanned, **"** _There are no straps._ **"**

Fleur mock glared at her, **"** _And you still think like a Muggle._ **"**

" _Yes, of course._ **"** Hermione rolled her eyes before looking down at the object in question, **"** _So a magical dildo-er_ **"** she shook her head, **"** _strap on, pardon, is my surprise?_ **"**

" _Only if you wish it to be._ **"** The blonde looked down nervously, biting her lip as she fiddled with the toy. **"** _Several of our Sisters mentioned it after we Bonded and I cannot say that I am not curious. Amélie suggested this model in particular, saying she had never had a more pleasurable experience._ **"**

Hermione's eyes darted back and forth between Fleur and the object she held. There was a small part of her that was filled with dread (it didn't look very comfortable) while a larger part was filled with anticipation. It was that feeling that caused her to nod her head in agreement.

Fleur breathed a sigh of relief and tried to pull her in for a kiss, but Hermione stopped her. **"** _If I do not like it,_ **"** she swallowed nervously, **"** _we stop. Immediately._ **"**

" _Of course._ **"** Fleur furrowed her brow, **"** _Hermione, that was never a question. I would never do anything that you do not like or would risk hurting you. You are too precious to me, understand?_ **"**

Hermione nodded once before leaning into her mate, whispering a barely audible "Sorry" into the crook of her neck. A slight thump of the bed was heard before arms came up to wrap around her.

" _You have nothing to be sorry for._ **"** Lips pressed against her hair. **"** _I am the one who should be sorry. I should not have bought it without talking to you first. It will be hid and returned as soon as we are home._ **"**

Hermione shook her head, **"** _No, do not do that. I want to give it a try, but I am a little nervous. That is all._ **"**

A chuckle, **"** _I am too, if you want me to be honest. I want nothing more than to feel you and I am afraid that this will not allow it, despite what it says._ **"**

" _What does it say?_ **"**

" _Apparently, the enchantments allow for me to actually feel what is going on. It… uh… temporarily binds the… toy to you._ **"**

Hermione raised her eyebrow in amusement, "You mean like if you actually had a penis?"

Fleur's face immediately scrunched up and she shook her head, **"** _Please do not say that._ **"**

"What? Penis?"

" _And you do it again._ **"** She sighed. **"** _At least say it in French, it sounds a lot better._ **"**

"What's wrong with 'penis'?" Hermione laughed at the glare she got. **"** _You know, for a 'sexual' creature, you are not big on some of the sexual terms._ **"** The rapid movement of fingers in her sides caused her to squeal. She quickly tried to squirm away, even falling onto the bed with a thud to try and escape. Hermione batted at the hands, laughing at her glaring mate, while managing to pant out, "Stop! Stop, please! I'll stop! I promise!"

" _You swear?_ **"**

"Yes! Yes! I swear! Please stop!"

The digits left her sides and Hermione felt a thud beside her. A hand buried itself in her curls while the other gently glided over her stomach. She heard a whispered **"** _Good_ **"** before lips attached themselves to her neck.

Just as she was calming down, Hermione felt a hardness poking into her back and bit her lip in amusement. "Hey Fleur?" _I'm going to get in so much trouble for this,_ she chuckled to herself.

"Hmm?" The blonde was moving across her jawline, making her way to her lips.

Hermione had to stop herself from moaning at the feeling (the return of Thrall made this an almost impossible task) and rushed to say, "The penis is poking me in the back."

Fleur immediately straddled her and Hermione had just enough time to see the amusement in her narrowed eyes before the fingers returned to her sides. She squirmed as they dug into her, squealing and laughing under the blonde as she was relentless. Hermione began to beg again, "I'm sorry! I had to!" the fingers moved more rapidly, "It was too easy! I'm sorry. Please!"

A hand reached under her to remove the toy before Fleur pinned her hands to the bed. Hermione panted as she saw dark blue eyes look at her before bending down, lips seeking out hers. She moaned into the kiss, tugging her hands lightly in hopes to reach up to grip the silky hair trailing across her.

" _You want to know why I do not like that word?_ **"** was breathed hotly into her ear. Hermione nodded, beginning to feel the heat in her belly return as lips and teeth worked up and down her neck and across her jaw.

" _It is because,_ **"** teeth gently tugged at her earlobe, **"** _it does not remind me of you._ **"**

"What?" Hermione managed out while she tried to stop her hips from bucking into the ones above her.

Fleur chuckled, placing a single kiss on the tender skin behind her ear before making her way back down her jaw. Thrall started gliding across her skin once more and Hermione tried to keep the Haze at bay as she focused on what her mate was saying.

" _It does not remind me of you._ **"** Fleur repeated, locking eyes with her, **"** _It reminds me of some brutish man and I hate that._ **"**

Hermione shook her head slightly, **"** _I do not understand._ **"**

" _You are not Veela, I do not expect you to understand._ **"**

" _Explain, my love, please._ **"** the brunette was able to pull her hands free and grip blonde hair, bringing Fleur down for a passionate kiss. The heat was almost unbearable, but something in her needed to hear this.

Fleur chuckled as the kiss came to an end, **"** _Alright. You will laugh at me though._ **"**

" _Try me._ **"**

Fleur reached up to brush some curls away from her face while looking at her with the tenderest, most loving expression that it took Hermione's breath away. The golden aura had returned and she almost reached out to caress it. The love she felt pouring through the Bond caused tears to well in her eyes, the idea of somebody loving her this much warming her heart. The fact it was the blonde she loved just as much warmed her very soul.

" _Hermione,_ **"** amber locked with dark blue, **"** _every minute of every day that we are parted, the Veela thinks of you. I think of you. What you are doing, where you are, who you are with. We try and imagine it all. If the time we are apart lengthens, then we start daydreaming about you. What we would do, where we would go, it does not matter. Sometimes, it is so hard to hold a conversation with somebody when this happens because with everything they say, with every word that comes out of their mouth, we think of you._ **"**

Fleur reached a hand down to cup her cheek as Hermione felt tears fill her eyes, the tenderness of the moment overwhelming her, **"** _If somebody mentions the forest, or anything having to do with nature, we think of you in your fur, of us laughing and playing. Amélie mentioned home the other day and I could not get the image of us lying in bed out of my head for hours._ **"** Fleur closed her eyes blissfully. **"** _If I learn a new spell, I cannot wait to teach you. If I read a good book, I cannot wait to show it to you. It does not matter what I am doing, I am constantly thinking of you. You are in my head and my heart, day and night, and I never want you to leave._ **"**

Hermione sat up as much as she could and placed a gentle kiss against the smudged rune, humming as arms wrapped around her shoulders. She kind of knew what Fleur was talking about, there were times that it physically ached to be away from the blonde, but even on her worse days it had never been like what Fleur was describing.

" _What is worse is when something takes you away from me._ **"** A hand buried itself in her hair, **"** _A word, a smell,_ **"** the blonde growled lowly, **"** _a person,_ **"** Hermione winced as she thought of a few people who Fleur was probably thinking of, **"** _there are just some things that as soon as I am in contact with them, you are pushed from my mind and replaced with something else. And I hate that._ **"** Fingers rubbed gently along her cheek and jawbone, **"** _I hate it with a burning passion and it nearly sends the Veela into a blinding rage. I cannot tell you how many times that Amélie or Grandmaman or even Gabrielle has had to calm me down enough that I can simply function without attacking something._ **"**

"Fleur," Hermione whispered, unsure of what to say but feeling the need to do something. She had no idea this was what the blonde went through on a daily basis. _This explains the random spikes of anger,_ she thought suddenly, _the jealousy, the sadness. It always broke my heart and nearly sent me running to her. My poor Veela._

" _You know,_ **"** Fleur chuckled gently, trailing her fingertips along the collar around her neck, **"** _it's funny. Listening to the Magicals in this castle and back at Beauxbatons, that is. Everybody thought I had claimed you, probably thought I made you my slave in a way, because of this simple piece of jewelry, when in reality it was you who claimed me. As soon as you agreed to wear it, my entire being jumped for joy and enveloped you into my very soul. It was then that I could not imagine a life without you, that I could not bear the thought of being away from you for even a second. Yes, I am to be Alpha, but it is of you who I think of with every decision I make. 'Would Hermione approve of this' 'Would Hermione do it this way' 'Could this help Hermione in any way' all of these constantly run through my head. I may be Alpha, but you are the one in charge of me and I would not have it any other way._ **"**

Fleur rested their heads together as Hermione reached up to cup her cheeks, **"** _So, do you now see why I hate that wo-_ **"** Hermione couldn't take it anymore and brought her mate in for a fierce kiss, coaxing the blonde's tongue out to dance with hers. They rolled over on the bed, letting her straddle Fleur and deepen the kiss.

"I love you so much, Fleur, I can hardly stand it." Hermione panted into her mouth, watching the blue eyes darken, "I may not know exactly what you go through, but I feel the same. I find myself constantly checking our Bond, needing to feel that you're safe, that you're near me. I want to constantly be beside you, to be with you, and the thought of a life without you physically pains me."

" _We never have to worry about that, my lioness, I promise._ **"** Fleur brought her in for another kiss. Hermione groaned as Thrall slipped between her legs, the heat slowly building once more.

Without warning, she found herself on her back again, hands gripping her hair to tug her head back as hips drove lightly into hers. Teeth attached themselves to the column of her neck and the brunette lost herself to the Haze.

In what seemed like no time, Hermione felt something nudge her corse (she had lost her skirt and panties at some point) and a thickness rubbed against her temptingly. Both she and Fleur groaned at the feeling and hands had to grip her hips tightly to prevent her from bucking up.

" _Not too fast, Maya, we have to take this slow._ **"** Fleur kissed her neck while slipping the tip inside of her.

Hermione gasped loudly, reaching up to grip the blonde's shoulders. "Gods Fleur, please."

Her mate chuckled and slowly thrust inside her, pulling back almost immediately only to slip a little farther in. With each thrust Hermione groaned louder, the heat growing inside her rapidly. She felt a rumble build in the base of her throat, urging her mate to go faster.

Hermione's eyes rolled in the back of her head as Fleur rested the toy fully within her. The blonde rested her head against her chest, panting heavily as Hermione gripped her shoulders tightly.

" _Fuck, Maya,_ **"** Fleur moaned as she ground against her, **"** _you are so tight._ **"** A kiss was placed against her throat, **"** _This feels so good. Better than I could have ever dreamed._ **"**

Hermione called out lowly, another rumble making its way up her throat. She groaned as Fleur chuckled against her before moving up so they were face to face, **"** _I do not speak cat, my love. You need to use your words._ **"**

" _Please,_ **"** she panted, her inner muscles contracting, **"** _Fleur, please. I need you. Gods I need you to move._ **"**

Their eyes locked as Fleur slowly pulled out (Hermione whimpered at the loss), before quickly thrusting back in. The brunette nearly shrieked with pleasure as the toy reached something deep inside of her, something that sent pleasure shooting up and down her spine. There was no pause as Fleur began to thrust at a steady pace, both groaning in unison at the feeling.

Hermione reached up to tug her mate towards her, their lips meeting in a sloppy kiss that neither could maintain. They ended up leaning their foreheads together, Hermione gripping Fleur's shoulders tightly as Fleur cupped her cheek.

All too soon the coil in the pit of her belly wound tighter and tighter until she felt like she was going to burst. Before this happened, Hermione slowly opened her eyes to look up at her Veela, seeing the black eyes watching her intently and her blonde hair moving back and forth with each thrust of her hips. For some reason her eyes focused on the blonde's neck, watching the muscles under the skin twitch and hearing the blood rush through her veins. It made her mouth water and Hermione couldn't help but to reach up and kiss the tendon there.

As her orgasm washed through her, the brunette clamped down on Fleur's neck moaning as the taste of copper filled her mouth and her inner muscles spasmed pleasurably. Fleur cursed, gripping her curls tightly to hold Hermione's head against her. She was only able to thrust a few more time before she too stilled, gasping loudly as pleasure reverberated over the Bond.

Hermione hummed as she slowly calmed down, lapping at the bite mark before placing a gentle kiss against it. Fleur still had a tight grip on her hair so she moved up to the blonde's jawbone, alternating between licks and kisses as she made her way to her lips. They both moaned as they met for a gentle kiss, warmth and love spreading through them.

Fleur slowly withdrew (Hermione moaned as her sensitive flesh tightened around the toy) and threw it to the side before pulling the brunette to her so they were face to face. **"** _You bit me._ **"** She stated, not even bothering to finger the wound.

Hermione simply hummed in response, nuzzling into Fleur's neck and sighing at the overwhelming scent of her mate. She loved these moments, cuddling into her mate, feeling perfectly at ease, at peace. This was where she belonged and she never wanted to leave.

A sigh sounded above her before the arms around her tightened and a hand worked its way into her hair, scratching her skull lightly. Fleur started to purr gently while their legs tangled together. A thigh accidently touched her over-sensitive skin causing Hermione to groan loudly and Fleur to quickly pull away.

" _Sorry, sorry._ **"** Fleur placed a kiss against her forehead while rubbing her hand up and down her back, **"** _Are you okay?_ **"**

Hermione hummed again, unable to find her words in the afterglow. A chuckle sounded above her as Fleur relaxed further against her, their shared warmth lulling her to sleep.

" _I love you, Hermione._ **"** Her mate whispered to her, nuzzling their heads together gently.

Hermione pressed her lips against the base of Fleur's neck, calling out lowly and hoping that her meaning got through.

 _I love you too, Fleur._

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

 **AN:** ...a month? Its been a month since I last posted? ...wow...I honestly never even realized that. How have you guys restrained from completely hating on me in the reviews or PM's? You all are amazing for that amount of restraint. I'm lucky to have such amazing readers.

I do have a myriad of excuses if any of you are interested. I have been going through some things since mid-June, but things have been getting better so nobody worry. I've also been stuck doing...involuntary volunteer (can I call it that?) work for a friend of my mom that has kept me insanely busy a lot of the time. Combine that with my summer school work, babysitting (in case anyone was curious, I'm never having kids), and trying to find a job, I haven't really had much time to write. So please forgive me if this chapter isn't what you were expecting or if there are too many mistakes. Like before, just point them out to me and I'll fix 'em.

On a lighter note, my school starts back up next week so I should have more free time to write...how backwards is that? Looking forward to school so I can have more time to do things that I couldn't do when I DIDN'T have school. Something tells me that isn't right.

Either way, I should be getting back to my normal schedule which means this story should start updating regularly again. I'm hoping to have the next chapter finished by next week, but give me at least one to get back into the rhythm of things.

Seriously though...thank you, everyone, for the amount of patience you've shown me.

 **Disclaimer:** I feel like JK could have done so many different things with the entire HP series. Had things explained more in depth, had plot points used more often, what have you. Since that never happened, I guess I can't own anything about the series...right?

-xXx-

" _I do not know Fleur, that dragon must have harmed you more than we thought._ **"**

Fleur sighed into her breakfast, listening to her Sisters giggle over Amélie's statement. A slight twinge of regret barely made it through the Bond before being overpowered by a strong sense of pride. She could not help but lean into the younger girl on her right, putting her arm around her mate's waist to pull her closer. Hermione had been slightly nervous over the mark (even though she could not hide how much pleasure it brought her) and Fleur had spent most of the morning trying to calm her down, telling her that it was nothing to be concerned about and how much she loved it (not that Hermione really needed any convincing on the latter part).

Of course, she could have easily concealed it (she would have done it mostly to save herself from her annoying Sisters), but the Veela would not allow it. **It is a gift from our mate,** it had said, sending Fleur an image of their feathers puffing up with pride, **one that she gave us when she was at her most primal state; a state that we sent her into. It would be dishonorable to hide it away. We will wear it proudly and if nobody likes it, then they can go straight to-**

" _Yes, Amélie,_ **"** Giselle smirked at her, breaking her from her thoughts, **"** _It looks like it was quite…painful._ **"**

" _She must have spent all night doctoring it, the poor thing. Surely that was why there was screaming coming from their room._ **"**

" _More than likely, yes. Must have been so painful that even Maya could feel it._ **"**

" _Poor things probably never even got a bite to eat either, they were so busy,_ **"** a snicker, **"** _doctoring…the wound. That must be why they seem so ravenous now._ **"**

" _I do not know, Diane, something tells me that they ate enough last night._ **"**

Fleur forcefully set her silverware down and looked at the laughing Veela surrounding her, **"** _Enough. All of you. I am sure there are better things for you to do than annoy us today._ **"**

Amélie leaned forward, **"** _But Fleur, we are just concerned for our Will-Be Alpha. We do not want to see you hurting in any way, especially from something as dangerous as a,_ **"** she snickered once more, **"** _dragon's bite._ **"**

The other Veela exploded into giggles as she heard the smack of Hermione's hand meeting her head. She herself could not help but pinch the bridge of her nose, trying to keep the Veela from delivering its own form of justice. _I wish they would find their mates,_ Fleur thought, _then I could tease them just as bad._

 **I would like to think we would be much worse.**

"What's so funny?"

Fleur heard Hermione whisper 'Oh thank Merlin' as she turned to see the two Gryffindor boys heading their way. Ron was looking at them all curiously while Harry looked exhausted (poor thing had not even been able to put his glasses on). The blonde chuckled at the miserable looking Boy-Who-Lived, knowing first-hand what he was feeling and not feeling sorry for him in the slightest.

"Please save me." Hermione mock whispered as they sat down at the table.

Ron looked around warily before turning to the brunette (Harry did not even pay the girl any attention, instead opting to lie his head on the table) and asked, "Save you from what?"

"Them!" her mate harshly whispered, gesturing to the grinning Veela surrounding them, "I can't stand being around…these…these…these Veela anymore!"

Fleur muttered into her cup, **"** _Well I feel mildly insulted_ **"** , while Amélie tossed a roll at the girl.

"It is a shame zen, Maya," the redheaded Veela smirked, "zat you are stuck wiz us. Forever, unfortunately."

"Oh yes, what a shame." Hermione deadpanned before turning to Ron again, "Seriously though, please save me from them."

The poor boy shook his head, "Sorry mate, but I can't even look at the lot without losing my head. You're on your own, I'm afraid."

"Harry, please tell me you'll help me."

The Boy-Who-Lived grunted something into the table before blindly reaching his hand out to Hermione, patting her arm and head in random spots before flopping it back onto the table. The Veela within screeched with laughter (Fleur had to cover up the undignified snort she released with a cough) at their mate's unamused expression.

"Thank you, Harry."

"Yea, you're gonna have to forgive him." Ron shrugged, "He hasn't been…um…feeling well since he got up."

"Is 'e still breazing fire?" Fleur nodded her head towards the boy.

"Thank Merlin no, he hasn't. Only the one time. That's, of course, not for the lack of trying on his part." Ron shook his head, "Took me forever to get him to lie down yesterday, especially with Dean and Seamus egging him on."

" _What was wrong with him?_ **"** Amélie asked, motioning to the boy sat beside her.

Fleur smirked, **"** _Fire drunk. The dragon gave him a supplement after his little magic display yesterday and it went to his head. After we met up with him, he spat a small flame on the ground. At first I was concerned that the dragon had changed him in some way, but now I think the fire breathing was just the excess magic escaping from him in a burst of energy._ **"**

"What happened to his glasses?" Hermione asked.

Ron shrugged once more, "Said something about not being able to see with them on. I have them in my backpack just in case he needs them later."

" _Fascinating._ **"** Amélie crinkled her nose slightly before turning back to her, **"** _Seriously, Fleur. You might need to put something on that bite. It looks quite deep and could scar._ **"**

Another twinge of regret across the Bond had Fleur narrowing her eyes. **"** _And what if it does?_ **"** she cocked her head to the side, **"** _It would not be the end of the world._ **"**

All of her Sisters paused at what they were doing and stared at her, shock blatant in their features. Several of the surrounding students (even Harry lifted his head to gaze at her) also froze in place, unsure of what was happening, but could sense the rising tension in the air.

" _Fleur,_ **"** Diane narrowed her eyes, **"** _you would really allow something to scar? Especially in a place that cannot be easily covered up?_ **"**

Her eyes narrowed as Giselle spoke up, **"** _I guess she could use a concealing charm on it. That way it does not look…too hideous._ **"**

Fleur leapt to her feet, the Veela so close to the surface that she could feel the itch of feathers against her skin. From the look of fear on her Sisters and the silencing of most of the students around them told her that some of her features had already changed.

" **If I were you,"** she growled out (Hermione grabbing ahold of her wrist did little to nothing to calm her down), **"I would be careful with my next words."**

Amélie also rose to her feet (wincing slightly at the look Fleur shot her) and held out her hands, **"Alright Fleur. We are sorry. We meant no offense by any of our words or suggestions. We were just trying to help."**

" **Your advice was neither needed nor asked for."**

" **Understood, Alpha."** The redhead bowed her head before turning to their silent Sisters to gain their confirmation before continuing, **"We will not bring it up again."**

The Veela looked at all of their Sisters (even the youngest that had their heads bowed) before nodding once. Fleur felt it settle back down and breathed a silent sigh of relief. _We should not have reacted like that,_ she thought as she sat back down. Hermione tightened her grip around her wrist, worry emitting from the brunette in waves. She simply gave a small smile and reached out to brush her fingers along the white knuckles.

Fleur heard Ron begin to ask a question and quickly shot him a glare. The boy flinched back and she could not help but sigh at the fear in his eyes. She gently thumbed the silver talons around her finger (a habit she picked up shortly after receiving the Marauder's band) and calmly said, "It is nozing to be concerned about, Ron. Just a…disagreement we 'ad." Fleur looked around at all of her Sisters, taking note that none dared to meet her eyes. It was only after she had gazed at each of their bowed heads that she turned back to the boy. "Zat is all."

The awkward silence was nearly deafening at that point. None of the students surrounding them dared to open their mouths, their fear and wariness settling down around her like a thick fog. Fleur felt her muscles tighten involuntarily and her fingers began to twitch. Her inner Veela was becoming annoyed, the combined feeling of the tense atmosphere and the nearly claustrophobic amount of people becoming too much. The feeling of feathers under her skin only became worse and it was only thanks to the lessons from Grandmére that allowed Fleur to keep a neutral face. It still did not help her Veela keep calm.

Hermione tugging on her arm snapped the Veela out of its slow, angry descent. **"** _Come on,_ **"** their mate whispered, standing up and grabbing her backpack, **"** _I need to go grab my Charms book. Will you walk me?_ **"**

Fleur smiled at the soft, amber eyes gazing at her. Most of the tension instantly left her and she found herself standing before she even had a chance to think about it. A sigh of relief seemed to flow out of the other Veela and surrounding students (she assumed that her features had returned to normal) as they walked towards the doors. Fleur quickly slipped her hand into Hermione's, lacing their fingers together and squeezing her thanks. A smile was sent her way before somebody clearing their throat caught her attention.

Standing in the doorway was Professor Moody (Fleur swallowed the sneer that wanted to form automatically upon seeing the wizard). He barely spared a glance her way, instead focusing his full attention on her mate.

"Going somewhere, Delacour?" the mad gruffed, his cane thumping against the rocky floor as he blocked their path.

Hermione raised her chin a little, "Just forgot something in the carriage, Professor."

"Good," He nodded once. "I was worried you were thinking about skipping our session again."

"No, Professor. I wouldn't make the same mistake twice."

Fleur narrowed her eyes, thoughts of her worn out mate coming to mind. She could remember how she had found Hermione after her Potions class, passed out on their bed. Apparently, he tried to fit two lessons into a single day and had run her mate ragged, his own form of punishment for her skipping a session. Fleur had wanted to give the ex-Auror a piece of her mind, but Hermione and convinced her otherwise. Still, she could not forgive him for causing her mate pain (even though the girl said it was alright).

Moody nodded again before stepping to the side. Fleur raised her brow at him as they passed. She thought she saw him smirk in return, but he turned and lumbered away before she had a chance to study him.

As they turned the corner and walked towards the main doors, Fleur tucked Hermione's arm under her own. She chuckled as the brunette leaned up to kiss her neck, directly over the mark that caused all the drama.

" _I was not lying you know,_ **"** she murmured, **"** _I do not care if it scars._ **"**

Hermione leaned her head against her shoulder, **"** _I know, but I do not know why._ **"**

" _It is weird, I guess. It reminds me of you and I love it because of that. I have no other explanation. The others do not understand because they have not found their mates. I cannot wait to remind them of this when that happens._ **"**

Hermione was silent for a long time before snorting. At Fleur's questioning glance, the girl simply looked at her and shrugged.

" _Veela are weird._ **"**

-oOo-

"Your girl did good yesterday."

Hermione panted as she looked to Mad-Eye, watching as he limped towards her holding a cup. She couldn't help but snatch it out of his hands and gulp the cool water down as quickly as she could. He had been particularly hard today during their training time and she could feel the strain in her shoulders and thighs as she moved. _It's going to be a long rest of the day,_ Hermione winced.

Moody dragged a chair before her slouched form and sat down with a thud. He tapped her cup with his cane (Hermione cursed him in her mind as she choked on the rest of the water) and grumbled, "She did better than the rest of the, so-called, Champions, that's for sure."

She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and glared up at the Professor, "I thought they all did pretty well."

"Sure they did, lass," he barked out a laugh and pointed his cane at her, Hermione had to cross her eyes to focus on the end.

"Diggory ran around without a clue on what he was doing." Moody jabbed his cane once causing her to jerk back into the wall.

"Krum tried to be brave and fight the dragon, but ended up smashing the eggs AND almost getting killed." Another jab.

"And Potter." He huffed once more and slammed his cane into the ground, turning his head away from her and glaring into the wall. Hermione raised her eyebrow at his dramatics but quickly gained a neutral expression as his eye swiveled to look at her.

"What about Harry?"

Hermione watched as he worked his jaw for a few minutes, contemplating something before turning back to her. "He's gonna have the entire Wizarding World after him. The Tournament was broadcasted on the Wireless so now everyone is going to know he's a Parseltongue." Moody shook his head, "Stupid boy."

"Probably," she groaned as she rose to her feet, trying to hide the shakiness in her legs. After Hermione thought she was okay (she was hoping that Moody wouldn't notice her hand braced against the wall), she said, "Honestly? I'm just happy he's alive. Who cares how he did it."

The old Auror gave a hearty laugh before whipping his cane out and knocking her off her feet. Hermione barely had enough time to turn herself to land on her hand and knees, the rough cobblestone biting into her hands.

"Constant vigilance, girl." He jabbed her in the shoulder once, "Always prepare for an attack, even when you think it's safe. And as for Potter, you keep your strengths hidden until an extreme need arises. Throws your enemies off course. He should've went with his first plan, would've endeared more people to him. Now, thanks to everybody hearing about that disaster and not knowing what was really going on," Moody muttered something that sounded like 'Bloody Bagman' before continuing, " he is going to be an outcast. Probably labeled a Dark Wizard if he is truly unlucky."

Hermione winced at the thought. She remembered how devastated Harry had seemed when he had recounted the tale of his Second Year. How the light in his eyes had dimmed when they had said that the entire school turned their backs on him, how they accused him of being the next Dark Lord.

"It's a shame too," Moody continued, whatever he was saying before had been lost to her, "not a good Champion amongst the four if you ask me. Diggory is an idiot, Krum is too cocky, and Potter has already lost and just doesn't know it yet. I'd bet on your girl winning the entire thing, but with how Karkaroff," he spat on the floor at the name, "and that bloody half-Giant treated her, she doesn't stand a chance."

The brunette got to her feet once more (making sure to walk a ways away from him) and cocked her head to the side, "Who cares who wins and who doesn't? I think the only thing that should matter is that they survive the Tournament. Anything else would just be extra."

"You're a fool then, girl." Moody got to his feet and shambled towards the desk, Hermione rolling her eyes after him. She sometimes thought that the old Auror had his priorities screwed up. Not only with the whole Tournament business, but with life in general. He was always looking over his shoulder, suspecting everyone to be against him. Mad-Eye showed her several detection spells for food and packages and she had noticed that he performed them at every meal. The man was just ridiculous in her opinion.

The sound of wood screeching across stone caught her attention and Hermione looked to Moody sat at his desk, a chair pushed in her direction. "Sit, Delacour." He barked, motioning to a pitcher of water on his desk.

Still thinking about his 'Constant vigilance' motto, Hermione cast a quick detection spell on the pitcher and raised her eyebrow at him when it came back positive for a potion being present. Seeing her expression Moody smiled (or grimaced, Hermione wasn't sure which), "Good lass. Not to worry though, it's just a Pepper Up. Can't have you collapsing on your way to class now can we." With that reassurance, she wasted no time in refilling her cup.

"Since we got done a tad early, I figured we could discuss some things." Moody huffed out, both his eyes focusing on her. Hermione thought about this, wondering what the old Auror had to say. For the past month that she had had to report to him, their meetings had been nothing but spell training and practice. The first week he hadn't even said anything but his stupid motto as he fired continuous spells at her. So, for him to want to 'talk', Hermione couldn't help but be nervous.

"Um…sure, sir." She said, "What was it you wanted to discuss?"

"Just wanted to see what you had planned for the future, that's all." Moody pulled out a file and started flipping through it, "Several of your professors at Beauxbatons mentioned that you were thinking about taking your O.W.L.s early which would mean you need to start thinking of what N.E.W.T courses you would want to take."

Hermione shook her head, confused as to why this was being brought up now of all times, "Uh…ye-yes, I was. School is more of a formality at this point than anything else and several of my professors thought I could take the exams early. As for my courses, I was thinking about sticking with the basics; Defense, Charms, and Transfiguration. I can hardly stand the smell of Potions and Herbology anymore, I have no need for Astronomy or Magical Zoology, so I guess I'll fill in the rest with Enchanting, Arithmancy, and anything else that captures my interest."

"Hmm." Moody folded his hands on top of his desk, leaning in slightly. "Interesting. For most jobs you only need an O.W.L. in Potions but if you were to go into something a bit more…interesting let's say, you would need a N.E.W.T. Any idea what you want to do with your life?"

She simply shrugged, becoming bored with the conversation. The Auror was still confusing her on his level of interest and something told her to not give too much information away. The dark aura that surrounded him still put her on edge (even though she has gotten used to it for the most part) and right now her instincts were warning her to keep clear of him.

Moody struck his cane on the ground causing her to jump and glare at him. "I asked you a question, Delacour." He barked at her, "I'm not one of your push-over French professors who let you get away with whatever just because you're good. Now, have you thought about what career you would like to pursue?"

 _Interesting way of showing you care, Old Man,_ Hermione swallowed a growl, instead choosing to glare at him for a moment before shaking her head.

"That's no good." He leaned back, his fake eye suddenly spinning around before landing back on her, "I'm surprised your new family isn't grooming you to follow in their footsteps. I've heard that Madame Delacour is a fierce politician."

"I don't have much of a mind for politics, I'm afraid."

Hermione cocked her head at his booming laugh. She figured that he wouldn't have liked her tone very much, but he seemed to appreciate it.

"Good! Good. I was worried for a moment that you would want to waste away behind a desk and deal with morons every day of your life." Moody bared his teeth at her. "That's a good choice, Delacour." She shrugged once more, growing more anxious to leave the weird man's office.

He hit her leg with his cane, gaining her attention, "What's your girl going to do?"

"Curse Breaker. Like her father."

Moody harrumphed once. "That's a tough profession. Not one for the weak willed or fearful. She any good?"

Hermione shrugged, "I suppose. She's read nearly every book in the library on the subject and has an internship lined up this summer with the French bank. Da-er-Monsieur Delacour has been giving her basic problems to figure out and she can do them pretty quickly without activating any of the traps."

Her eyes narrowed as she sensed Moody's growing excitement. She cursed herself for giving too much away about Fleur's abilities (oddly it was his advice of 'keep your strengths close to your chest' that bounced around in her head). The darkness she sensed from him seemed to grow briefly also, as if that one bit of knowledge fed it.

"No wonder she was Chosen then." Mad-Eye stared at her, his fake eye seeming to look through her. For some reason, Hermione found herself unable to look away. It was almost like a spell had been placed on her.

Finally, after a long moment, the ex-Auror huffed, "Well, you should start thinking about it, Delacour. Those tests are at the end of the school year and you had best be prepared. I want you to read this." A book she never noticed him grab was slid atop the desk. Hermione spared a glance at the title and saw the words 'Auror Training Manual'.

"I'm not sure if Aurors are the best place for me either," she couldn't help but mutter. She still picked up the slim book though, deciding it would be an interesting read at the very least.

"Oh?" he sat back in his chair, "Why not? The Aurors would kill to have somebody of your skill on their side. Could see you being Head of the department one day."

Hermione shrugged, refusing to contribute more to the conversation. _Please let me leave,_ she thought desperately, an intense need to go find Fleur forming in the pit of her gut. The brunette could feel a mixture of emotions along the bond, ranging from worry, to confusion, to a push of calm. She wasn't sure why she suddenly felt so panicked, but the longer she sat in that hard, wooden chair, the stronger the need to run was.

Mad-Eye simply looked at her, his fake eye not wavering from her form. _Perhaps that is what unnerves me, that eye that seems to see right through me._ Eventually, his face relaxed a smidge and he pulled his lips back into a grimace, "Alright. Well, at least read the manual. You might learn something. I will see you in class, Miss Delacour."

With a nod, Hermione leapt from the chair (all while hoping her enthusiasm with leaving wasn't too obvious). She quickly gathered her belongings and rushed to the door, her mind filled with thoughts of the dark forest and how eager she was to get there. _Arithmancy can shove off for the day._

Just as she reached for the doorknob, Moody called out, "Oh, Delacour. One more thing." Hermione groaned quietly to herself but still turned to face him.

"Last night, at around ten, I was doing rounds on the first floor."

Hermione sighed, _That's nice, Mad-Eye._

"I happened to be walking near the front door when I heard a commotion. Imagine my surprise when I saw Dumbledore talking with your Headmistress." He smirked as her brow rose in curiosity. "Now, I'm not one to snoop." _Liar._ "But I couldn't help but over-hear how the Half-Giant had been locked out of your school's carriage. Something about the wards not letting her through."

 _Must've been why the Seventh Years were all so happy,_ she suddenly thought, remembering the grinning group who kept high-fiving each other and looking in their direction at breakfast, _I was so concerned with Fleur that I almost didn't notice them._

"…and Dumbledore told her that under no circumstances could Hogwarts allow her to stay." Moody leaned back in his chair, his smirk widening into, what Hermione dare called, a grin. "From her screaming and ranting it sounds like she is now staying down in Hogsmeade at the Three Broomsticks and will only come back for Tournament related events. Too ashamed to show that black face of hers in case somebody turns her over to your family back in France."

Her brow furrowed, wondering how he knew about Veela traditions, especially those of punishment. She didn't have time to ponder it for too long before he spoke again. "Do with this information what you will, Delacour." Mad-Eye's smirk suddenly widened and he licked his lips quickly before continuing, "But I, for one, would hate for the woman to think that she was…forgotten just because she wasn't around all the time. Especially with all she's done to you over the years."

"How do you…" Hermione's voice trailed off as she noticed his hand still on her file, his fingers tapping every so often. _Of course, all my detentions would be in my record,_ she glanced between it and his face, his fake eye focused intently on her.

"In fact," he said slowly, "I think the Weasley twins would be more than willing to help you make sure the woman is welcome in her new temporary home."

Her eyes widened, _What?!_

Moody suddenly cleared his throat, breaking eye contact with her and shuffling the papers around his desk. "I think we are done here, Delacour." His gruff voice had returned. "I expect that book to be read by the next Monday."

Hermione could do nothing but gawk at the man (his extreme change in character not even really registering with her). All of the information and insinuations he had dumped on her lap had been completely unexpected and she wasn't sure what to think at this point.

"Did I hesitate, Delacour?" His usual scowl returned as he glanced up at her. "Dismissed!" She automatically turned at the familiar bark, her mind reeling.

Hermione walked slowly towards the carriage, not really processing the students crowding around her heading to their next class. She was torn on what to do, what to feel even, about everything that had happened.

 _There is no way that I imagined that._ She slowly walked down the stairs. _And he knew what conclusion I would draw with everything he said._

The front doors loomed in front of her suddenly. _Does he really want me to get revenge on Maxime? I mean, the woman deserves to be shit on as much as possible, but this turned into a Clan issue. Not something for me to handle by myself._

 _But,_ she stopped and looked towards the distant town, _that IS only for Fleur being put into the Tournament. That doesn't have anything to do with all the shit I had to deal with._

Hermione shook her head and made her way towards the carriage. She didn't want to hurt the poor woman (and Moody didn't really SAY that he wanted her to hurt her). But to prank her maybe? Make her a little more uncomfortable than what she already was? Hermione snorted to herself. _The hag deserves it_

As she opened the carriage door, intent on putting her bag away and hiding out in the Forest till dinner, she made up her mind. _I'll ask the Twins what they think. See if they have anything useful. If not, then I'll push it from my mind for good and never think of it again._

There was just one obstacle she had to deal with.

Hiding it from Fleur.

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

 **AN:** Sorry everyone! Fell asleep last night. This semester already got me stressed lol. Nah, but seriously, my free time is slowly dwindling as more and more people come to me for tutoring and there are times like I just want to tell them "Sorry, can't do my job right now. Got important shit to write." Bleh.

Thank you, everyone, for being so understanding about last month. I know that there are a few fics on this site that don't update regularly and some people have just gotten used to it, but when I started this I told myself "Keep a regular schedule. Don't be like your favs that leave you hanging for months (sometimes years)" and I broke my own promise. But, you guys are awesome and I'm really thankful for that.

I might catch some hate for this chapter, but I honestly don't care. It was a joy to write (the relaxing scenes are way more fun) and I hope it is a joy for all of you to read.

Have fun!

 **Disclaimer:** I know I probably don't have to do this every chapter, but I remember the dark days so I feel it necessary. I don't own Harry Potter or much of the base plot. I'm just borrowing everything for my own enjoyment.

-xXx-

Hermione watched a group of passing First Years warily. She knew they saw her (how could they not?) and she knew that they knew who she was. She was also aware of how badly this looked and how somebody could easily misinterpret the entire situation. Hermione dared them to look her way.

Dared. Them.

As if hearing her thoughts, a small, dark-skinned boy from Ravenclaw glanced over and raised his eyebrow in curiosity. He stopped, obviously intending to study the situation in depth, which caused the rest of the group to stop and stare as well. Hermione's breath caught in her throat and she froze in place, intimately feeling all of their curious eyes on her as if she were a specimen to be examined. _Please,_ she thought desperately, both anger and fear swelling within her the longer they stared, _just continue on. Please. I'm begging you._

Suddenly, one of the students giggled. Hermione never gave the rest a chance.

The saber tooth laid her ears back and bared her fangs in a silent snarl. She made to rise but was unable to stand fully (that in and of itself caused the growl to fully form in the back of her throat). Luckily for her, the students dashed off immediately, screaming and laughing the rest of the way to the lake. Knowing that what little of her dignity that remained was somewhat safe for a few more minutes, Hermione laid back down, resting her head on her paws, and actively stared away from the spectacle beside her.

The continuous scratching of pencil on paper paused for a moment, allowing the owner of said objects to release a breathy chuckle. Hermione felt a few light tugs around her neck and her ears laid back in irritation.

"Mon amour, will you not at least come rest beside me?" The musical voice of her mate drifted towards her. Fleur tried to sound remorseful (even though Hermione could feel the thick amusement through their Bond) and the saber tooth was very tempted to move towards her. She could almost feel the fingers gliding through her fur, the Veela's natural warmth soothing her, and ached for the contact. But then she remembered why she was in such a position and her anger returned full force. Her only response was attempting to edge further away from the relaxing Veela.

Fleur chuckled once more before the scratching sounds resumed. "You are only punishing yourself, ma lionne," she tsked, having the nerve to sound like a parent scolding a pouty child. Hermione resisted the urge to growl at her current torturer and kept her attention on the still lake beside her.

 _Just another hour,_ she thought to herself, _another hour till dinner and then I'm free. I should spend the night in the woods. Would serve her right for doing this to me. In public of all places._ A rumble emerged from her chest and the saber tooth shifted restlessly as she was reminded of the last time she had been in such a position. _But that had been different,_ Hermione shook her head, as if that one move would dislodge the memory, _that had been significantly more enjoyable…for the both of us…and decidedly less public. This is just humiliation at its finest._

"Oh brother, dear brother, this is extremely bad."

Hermione's ear twitched slightly as the sing-song voice interrupted her thoughts. She heard the faint rhythm of feet tapping against the ground come closer and internally groaned. She tried to curl into herself more, but was unable to go much further and groaned aloud. It was just unfortunate that they were allowed free reign of their little area even though they were being punished as well.

Though 'punishment' isn't the word Hermione would use to describe what they were going through.

"Oh brother, dear brother, we've surely been had."

"By a mischievous girl that I'd rather forget."

"But at least we're not tied up like a pet."

 _That's it,_ Hermione thought as she sprung to her feet and twisted around, bounding over an entertained Fleur, and lunging at the two red-headed devils that were now tap-dancing their way out of her range. Fred and George (who were both dressed in, what looked like, jester costumes) laughed as she nearly hung herself from the leash that bound her to Fleur. She roared her displeasure at the dancing duo, hoping to convey that they were lucky she couldn't reach them.

During their time outside, the Twins had only really bothered her once or twice. They seemed to enjoy more going up to other groups of students (the unusually warm November day brought many outside) and teasing them in their forced rhyming ways. These were often met with small bursts of laughter, but she had seen the boys having to dance their way away from pointed wands. Those times brought her a significant amount of joy.

The few times they had come over to her was usually to make fun of her long teeth (they had actually called her Longtooth at one point which amused her to no end), stubby tail, or the fact that she was a 'bookworm' (it had been a while since she heard the term). Never had they made mention of her own brand of punishment and for that, Hermione had been thankful. But, like the devils they were (the saber tooth growled at them again), they couldn't just let something go.

"Oh no, dear brother, she's in such a rage!" George put his hand over his heart as if he were offended. The saber tooth bared her fangs at them (the amusement she felt through the Bond wasn't helping matters).

"Perhaps next time we should lock her in a cage." Fred darted his eyes between her and his dance partner.

 _They're getting braver._

"She definitely needs something to contain all that anger." The gleam in his eye gave her a sudden since of foreboding.

"Hey Fleur! Perhaps you should train her better!"

She tried to lunge for them again. _If it weren't for you two and your overenthusiasm,_ she roared at them, _we wouldn't be in this mess!_ Of course, Hermione knew that they couldn't understand her, but shouting made her feel marginally better (especially when she noted a bit of fear in their eyes).

"Enough!"

A tugging around her neck caused Hermione to lay down immediately. She wasn't sure if this was what Fleur intended for her to do or not, but there was no way she was going to be called like some mangy mutt. _The nerve of Humans,_ she growled deeply, her eyes never leaving the Twins as they laughed, _if she weren't mine I would have already ripped her apart._

"You two are supposed to be miserable while being punished. Not tormenting your ally." Hermione could just feel the fake glare they were receiving.

"Oh, come now Fleur. This is nothing new." Fred scoffed and crossed his arms (an amusing sight as his legs continued their current jig).

George waggled his eyebrows, "This is something we always do."

"Every Friday night, right after school." He sounded oddly proud.

"Although, we've never had outfits that looked this cool." They both tugged the puffed cloth at their shoulders to further emphasis this. Hermione thought they looked pretty ridiculous, but who was she to judge another person's taste.

"Oh, really?" The French witch just oozed confidence, "Well zen, I suppose zat I can make your outfits even 'cooler', non?"

Before the Twins had a chance to say anything, Hermione felt magic pass over her head and hit, first Fred, then George, in the chest. Their jester clothes lightened dramatically and the shirt and pants twisted and turned so fast as they changed that she could barely make out what they were turning into until the end. The pointed hats upon their heads also transformed, although these seemed to shrink more rapidly than the rest.

By the time the Transfiguration was complete, the students that had been watching the boys intently began to laugh as both Fred and George's faces turned a blood red. Even Hermione gave a small huff of a chuckle as she watched them continue to dance in perfect replicas of the Beauxbatons uniform.

George tried to tug his short skirt lower and screamed, "This is not fucking funny, Fleur!"

"All we were doing was helping you torment her!"

"Who knew a pretty witch like you could hit so low."

"Uh…uh…E-I-E-I-O…?"

During their singing shouts, students had begun to surround them, taunting their 'choice' in clothing. However, it wasn't until Fred's final utterance (a side-effect of the curse Fleur placed on them if one could not find a rhyming phrase) that the entire student body burst out laughing. It was the first time she had ever remembered the Twins being embarrassed over anything and Hermione couldn't be happier.

Forgetting herself (and now that she had some sort of revenge), Hermione stood and shuffled backwards, settling against Fleur once she was close enough. A pleased hum emerged at the immediate feeling of fingers gliding through her fur. Hermione suddenly found herself drifting off despite the laughter and taunts still surrounding them. She wasn't sure if it was because of the soothing sensation or the stress finally catching up to her, but the saber tooth found herself laying her head against Fleur's leg and closed her eyes.

"Merlin, Fleur, you're gonna have to teach me that spell."

Hermione's eyes snapped open upon hearing Ron's laughing comment. He and Harry were walking towards them (eyes still drifting back to the Twins' dance every now and then) and she couldn't help the groan of despair that escaped. It was only then that she remembered her own predicament (she cursed her own neediness) and hoped that they hadn't seen the leash yet. She had the brief thought of slipping behind the tree that Fleur was resting against to hide, but the slight tug around her neck deemed that impossible.

A wave of panic rushed over her as the boys turned to look at her before suddenly stopping, their eyes wide in confusion as they gazed at her. Hermione knew that if she could blush in this form that she would be doing so now. As it was, she merely turned her head away and gazed back at the lake, intent on ignoring the situation entirely.

"Uh…Fleur?" Harry asked.

Hermione winced at the blonde's chuckling, "Oui, 'arry?"

"What's going on here?"

Fleur relaxed further into the tree, the lead tugging around Hermione's neck lightly as the blonde got more comfortable, before simply saying, "Punishment."

"Punishment?" The boys had sat down beside them at this point. Hermione still refused to look their way.

"Oui, punishment. Zey embarrassed an innocent person so I am embarrassing zem in return."

"Uh…" Hermione could just imagine both boys looking at each other in confusion before Ron asked, "Who did they embarrass?"

Fleur gave off a dramatic sigh, "Zey embarrassed poor Madame Rosetta of zee Zree Broomsticks. Apparently, 'ermione got it into her bright mind," a hand patted her back lightly "zat she needed to prank Maxime and enlisted your brozers to 'elp." Ron muttered a quick 'uh oh' before she continued. "Zey used several amplified dung bombs to drive Maxime out of zee building and into some kind of itching powder zey 'ad rigged at zee door. Very simple and quite effective too, if I do say so myself, because zee 'alf-Giantess is now nowhere to be seen, which I consider a success."

Another tugging at the leash had Hermione growling lowly to herself. She had heard this all before when Fleur had caught them, there was no need for her to hear it again. "What zey did not take into account was zee potency of zee bombs or zee wind direction zat would drive zee powder into zee bar itself. Zis caused all of zee patrons to be hit by zee powder wiz various stages of damage and zee smell from zee bombs drifted down and into zee entire building and effected some of zee food I zink." The blonde tapped her chin, "I believe it was George zat said somezing about zee powder still being a prototype which caused zee extensive rashes to appear on some of zee people 'oo 'ad been 'it zee most."

Fleur waved her hand in a dismissive gesture, "Whatever, it does not matter now. What does zough is zee fact zat Madame Rosetta is going to 'ave to close zee Zree Broomsticks for an extended period of time to remove all of zee leftover smells and powder. Which," another sharp tugging had Hermione's ears laying back, "we are paying for since it was all originally 'ermione's idea. And, since she is my responsibility, I offered to Madame Rosetta to punish all zree of zem razer zan she 'aving to worry about it. She agreed, luckily, but it was razer unfortunate zat Professor Snape 'ad been inside zee bar at zee time and dragged zee zree up to zee castle before I could get zem away."

"I had wondered why Hermione left so quickly." Harry muttered.

 _Wasn't by choice, Harry,_ she shifted slightly, _you can rest assured about that._

"Oui, quite unfortunate." Fleur tsked.

"Wait, is that why Fred and George have detention with Filch for a month?" Ron asked.

"Oui, and all zree of zem also 'ad zere 'ogsmeade privileges revoked. Maya also 'as a monz of detention wiz zis Filch, but it is not until after she is done wiz 'er detention wiz McGonagall."

Harry whistled lowly, "Merlin, that's rough." A sudden chuckle from the Boy-Who-Lived had Hermione's ears twitching back again. "Ya know, if you had told me back in First Year that Hermione Granger would be spending most of a school year in detention, I probably wouldn't have believed you."

"I would 'ave liked to meet zis 'ermione Granger," Fleur teased, her fingers tangling in Hermione's fur and tugging gently, "zis one seems to only get into trouble." They all laughed as the saber tooth huffed gently.

A short pause followed. Hermione thought about shifting out of her fur and talking to her brothers, but the thought of being seen in Human form while attached with a leash proved to be too embarrassing for her.

Luckily, Harry broke the almost awkward silence, "So what are you doing while the three pranksters are being punished?"

A slight shuffle of parchment followed and Hermione heard both boys sigh in awe over whatever Fleur showed them. Another shuffle occurred before Fleur spoke up, "I promised Gabrielle, my little sister, zat I would try and draw zee castle for 'er. I 'ope to 'ave it finished before I send zem my next letter."

"It's absolutely beautiful, Fleur." Harry breathed. Hermione couldn't help but feel pride in her mate, even though said person was currently torturing her for no good reason.

Fleur chuckled, "Merci, 'arry, but it is nozing. I 'ave not been able to work on it a lot today because I 'ave 'ad to keep zis one," a slight tug on her collar causing the saber to growl once more, "from escaping."

"You are lucky you had a Millanian Leash." Ron chimed in. "Otherwise I would've been surprised that she hadn't escaped yet. Or ripped your arm off."

Fleur hummed her agreement while Harry asked, "A what?"

"It's a type of tether that you use on certain pets so if they tug at the leash and try to run off, it will redirect the force they used back on them instead. They are mostly used to train creatures and not cause harm to the person holding the other end. Charlie uses them all the time on adolescent dragons to get them used to following around Tamers when they are older."

"Wow," she heard the wonder in Harry's voice, "they must be super rare."

Hermione growled lowly as she heard the blonde chuckle out, "Actually, no, zey are not. Zat pet store in 'ogsmeade should sell zem."

"Huh," Harry huffed. "Is that where you got yours?"

Fleur chuckled, "Oh no. I bought zis a while ago for an…experiment Maya and I conducted."

A short silence before both boys started sputtering, obviously understanding the hidden meaning. Hermione could just imagine their bright red faces as she growled in amusement. _See what I put up with?_ Hermione asked them, _You should try being around an entire flock of them. This is all that gets done._

"Yes, well," Harry coughed again, "what we really came over for was to ask what you two were doing tonight."

The saber tooth finally looked at them (feeling safer now that the conversation was away from her predicament) and saw Fleur shrug once more, "I do not know. Nozing, I guess."

Harry breathed a sigh of relief, "Good, that's great actually." His voice lowered and he leaned in, "We're going to have another meeting tonight in the Chamber. To discuss the egg we got. I'm hoping somebody else can figure it out because I'm clueless."

"I'm bloody deaf from the thing." Ron rubbed his head in agitation, "He keeps opening it up, hoping something will be heard other than screaming and its driving me mad."

Fleur tilted her head, "Screaming? Zee egg screams at you?"

Harry and Ron looked at one another before gazing back at the blonde. "Yes?" Harry seemed to ask.

"Wait, are you telling us that you haven't even opened the egg yet?" Ron leaned back, hands on his knees in shock.

"Oui, I 'ave not opened zee egg yet." Fleur shrugged at their open-mouthed gazes. "Zee Solstice is less zan a monz away and zee next task is not until février. Why spend my entire 'oliday worrying about a clue when I can do it after zee new year greets us."

Ron hmphed while Harry raised an eyebrow in response, "I'm honestly surprised Hermione hasn't hounded you about the egg yet. Figured she would be too curious to do anything else."

Hermione gave off a huffing chuckle that had the Humans looking at her. _We've been kind of busy, Harry,_ she told them with a yawn, _Besides, if Fleur doesn't want to do something, there's no way that I could force her to do it._

"Um…" Ron looked to Fleur for answers while the blonde just shrugged in response. The saber tooth only growled in amusement at their confusion.

Harry cleared his throat, gaining all of their attentions, "Anyways, will you guys be there? I want you to bring your egg too, just to see if there are any differences or maybe something will become clearer when two of them are opened at the same time."

"We will be zere, 'arry, do not worry." Fleur oozed with amusement. Hermione knew that her mate didn't really take the group seriously and was mostly going along with it for her benefit. She herself had to admit that it all seemed rather silly. More than likely Harry and Ron just chasing shadows. But it got her with her boys again and it was something that brought multiple people together so she really couldn't see the harm in it.

Harry rubbed his hands together, "Excellent. Between all of us, surely we can figure out what the damn thing is trying to tell us."

"I'm so excited," Ron drawled, "Not only will we hear one egg screaming, but we will have two going off at the same time, AND they will be in a massive chamber that echoes a mouse's fart." Fleur scrunched her nose at his phrasing. "Bloody can't wait."

"That's the spirit, Ron!" The red-haired boy grunted in response.

Their conversation was interrupted by the dancing-duo stopping before them. At this point, both of their faces were bright red from exertion and they had broken out into a light sweat.

"Oh sweet Fleur," George panted, "our punishment has surely ended."

"Everyone has had their bloody laughs," Fred slapped the back of Ron's head as the boy quickly snorted once more at their skirts, "and we are quite winded."

"And, in case you haven't noticed, it is now dinner time." Hermione could agree with that as most of the students were heading inside.

"So please, remove this curse so we can stop this bloody rhyme." Both boys clasped their hands in front of them, their eyes wide as they stared at the blonde.

With a heavy sigh, Fleur made a show of reaching her for her wand, slowly picking it up, before waving it in an elaborate fashion. Hermione watched her lips move as if she were muttering a long counter-spell (probably for the dramatics). She had to give the blonde credit, all four Hogwarts students were enthralled as she wordlessly summoned a small wind that surrounded the Twin's. It really seemed like she was performing powerful magic.

The saber tooth huffed at the stupid boys.

With a grin, Fleur whispered a near silent 'Finite' and Fred and George stopped dancing, their clothes changed back to normal, and they fell to their knees. They began prostrating themselves before Fleur, near shouting 'Thank you' and 'Our merciful leader' and other stupid things while Fleur waved her hand dismissively (Hermione thought she looked like a queen before peasants).

After a few more embarrassing minutes, they both stood up with identical grins. Which soon fell as they noticed that Fleur was tapping her wand against her arm.

"Do you not 'ave somezing you wish to tell me?" Fleur haughtily asked.

The Twins looked at each other for a moment before bowing their heads, as if they had been properly cowed (Hermione saw their smirks hidden by their shaggy hair that suggested otherwise).

"Oh yes, of course," Fred started, "we nearly forgot."

"We apologize, Fleur, for besmirching your good name and causing you undo stress and headache." Hermione gave George some credit, he said that all without chuckling.

"We promise to never go against you like that again."

"Or follow the she-devil you call a girlfriend." Hermione growled at them.

"We would promise not to do any pranks…"

"…but you know that we would be lying to you."

"So how about we just say…"

"…that we won't prank anyone that is close to you…"

"…or ones that you have claimed to punish."

"So please, accept our apology…"

"…for we mean it from the bottom of our poor, pitiful prankster hearts."

They both finally looked up, eyes almost pleading. Nothing was said for a moment. It was only due to the extreme amusement Hermione felt rolling off the blonde in waves that assured her this wasn't for real. The boys fidgeted at the heavy silence and she guessed that was what Fleur was waiting for as the Veela finally, once more, waved her hand dismissively.

Fred's face broke out into a huge smile while George released a dramatic sigh of relief. Both of their shoulders seem to sag (Hermione hadn't even noticed how tense they were) and they quickly began walking backwards to the castle.

"Thank you, O'Great and Powerful one!"

"Surely your compassion and grace is why you were Chosen for the Tournament."

 _Laying it on a bit thick there boys,_ Hermione thought with a huff.

This must have caught there attention as they quickly stopped, looked at each other, then turned back to her with wicked grins.

"Oh, by the way, Maya," George began.

Fred laughed impishly, "We heard some interesting comments while we danced the day away."

"Apparently, the general consensus is…"

"…that, since you can be bound by a mere leash…"

"…and held onto and controlled by only a woman."

Fleur must've glared at them because Fred quickly cleared his throat and said, "No offense, Fleur."

"Either way," George rubbed his hands together, "people are saying that you are nothing more than a big ole…"

"…pussy cat!" they both finished together, laughing at what they surely thought was the grand joke of the day. Hermione could only sigh and look towards her mate, hoping to convey what she wanted to do. Fleur spared the boys a smirk (although they were too busy laughing at their not so-funny joke) and slowly reached towards her collar.

As soon as she felt Fleur unleash her, Hermione sprung up and started sprinting towards the two. She barely heard Ron exclaim 'Bloody Hell' as she rushed past him, all her focus on the two laughing devils that got her in this mess. It was just unfortunate that the Twins must've heard their brother as they both looked up to see the saber tooth coming at them. They both grabbed ahold of each other and turned tail, racing towards the castle as fast as possible.

Hermione had to laugh at how quickly she gained on them (she figured they would've had much more speed with how many times they had claimed to have run away from Filch). She soon reached them and both boys (as they refused to let go of each other) went down like a bag of rocks as she tackled them.

There was a slight struggle (one of them screamed) as they tried to reach their wands before Hermione laid fully on top of them. After she was sure they were pinned, the saber tooth roared at a few of the students that had stopped to watch. They all scattered (much to her enjoyment) and she gave a huff after them before turning to look at the whimpering boys below her.

"W-w-we didn't m-mean it, Hermione." Poor George looked like he was going to wet himself.

"Seriously," Fred chuckled weakly, "one last laugh before dinner, ya know?"

George whimpered as she rested her paw beside his head (she never realized how big she really was until she saw the size comparison; she could easily cover his entire face if she wanted).

Fred cleared his throat as it seemed like his brother was too petrified to speak. "We gotta fill that quota, ya know," he muttered, wincing slightly as she moved to look at him. The two boys below her were utterly terrified it seemed.

Hermione bared her teeth in a wide grin.

"So what was zat?" Fleur came up behind them (with Harry and Ron following close behind), "My mate is a what?"

"Majestic creature," George mumbled while Fred muttered "Powerfully Scary" at the same time.

Feeling like she had intimidated them enough, Hermione got off of them and changed out of her fur. The grin on her face never dimmed as the Twins helped each other up and glared at her.

"That was for not following my orders in the first place," Hermione growled lowly. This whole mess truly was their fault. She had only wanted to scare the poor woman, perhaps let Maxime know that she shouldn't get too comfortable. But oh no. The Twins saw it as an opportunity to test two of their latest creations and had coerced her (it hadn't taken much if she's honest) into using them on Maxime. It was just unfortunate that Fleur seemed to almost know exactly what she was thinking or they would've gotten away with it.

After a few moments of her glaring, Hermione saw their ears begin to turn red and felt like she had gotten her point across. Although, what that point was, she couldn't really tell. Without sparing Fleur or her friends a glance, the brunette twirled around and stalked towards the castle, intent on putting the whole day behind her.

She hadn't gone but a few meters before an arm wrapped around her waist and lips pressed themselves into her hair. Hermione tried to remain stiff against Fleur (she even tried to pull away), but the arm drew her closer and the vanilla scent she loved soon enveloped her.

With a sigh, she finally relaxed into her Veela as they walked into the castle, half-listening to the playful boys behind her.

-oOo-

"Alright, quite down you lot." Draco ( _Silver-Tongue,_ Fleur thought with an eyeroll) shouted to no avail. It seemed that without the adults there to keep everything going smoothly, the six ( **seven** , the Veela reminded her moodily) children became just that; children. She had to give Draco credit though, the poor boy was trying.

Harry, Ron, and Neville were joking off near the giant head (somebody had told her it was a replica of the Hogwarts Founder, Salazar Slytherin. She wasn't that impressed). The two trouble makers seemed to be teasing Neville about something as the poor boy was bright red. Whatever it was, both her and the Veela hoped 'Bearclaw' lived up to his name and attacked the others.

 **Would make for better entertainment than this** , the Veela grumbled.

Hermione had been ignoring them since dinner and neither of them were too happy with the development. Of course, their mate could not ignore their Thrall, but Fleur was hesitant to use it too much. Despite what the Veela wanted, she did not want her mate to be completely under her control at all times.

Speaking of the brunette, she was over talking to Susan. Fleur did not know the redhead very well (she was not a part of Hermione's normal group) so what the two had to discuss was beyond her.

"This is why we don't have meetings very often," a soft voice whispered from her right. She barely avoided making a fool of herself by jumping away in fright and cursed her lack of attention. She had been so focused on brooding over Hermione that she had not heard the quiet boy creep up on her.

Fleur glanced him, "it is always like zis?"

"Most of the time," the Slytherin sighed. He folded his arms across his chest and nodded towards the three Gryffindors. "They don't take this seriously enough. I think Harry and Ron like the idea of being a part of something greater and Neville is just happy to have friends. They have no idea there is a real danger out there."

"And you know zere is?" she raised an eyebrow towards him. Her amused look turned to one of intense curiosity as his face seemed to harden.

"There is a reason Slytherins act the way we do. Most of our parents haven't given up on the old ways. They still talk about the burning days like they happened just a few years ago and we go to bed hearing stories of how Muggles will come and take us away if we so much as look at them. A lot of the children, those who aren't lucky enough to be exposed to the truth, are brainwashed into thinking that Purebloods will be around forever."

Blaise's face curled into one of disdain as he gazed at the other boys, "They don't know how lucky they had it growing up. They never had to deal with parents who were still bitter about losing the war and took their anger out on them. They never got to overhear how the Dark Lord would rise once again and put all Mudbloods and Blood-Traitors in their places. Or how we would serve in his new army or else. Lightspark," he nodded his head towards the redheaded witch, "may have a good idea, but that is only because her Aunt is the Head Auror. Other than that, Drake and I know exactly what we are up against and no matter how many times we tell them, they never seem to get it."

Fleur hesitated for a moment before asking, "What exactly is zis group trying to do?"

He finally met her eyes and simply said, "We are trying to prevent Voldemort from returning."

A loud bang cut-off whatever she was going to say. Turning, Fleur saw that Draco had finally had enough and created a small sonic boom in the room, effectively gaining everyone's attention. She turned back, hoping to ask the dark-skinned boy something else, but he had already moved on, standing behind Draco like an intimidating shadow. The blonde blinked once at him and moved over to where Hermione sat, the boy's words replaying over in her head like a record.

"Alright," and exasperated Draco stated, "now that I have everyone's attention, we can finally get started. I have a few things to address before we begin what we truly gathered to discuss; the eggs. First things first, Basilisk, Moonclaw set you up an appointment at Gringott's on 13th December."

Harry shook his head, "I have no way of getting there. I doubt I can make up a believable excuse to Dumbledore and I can't fly there."

"If you would let me finish," Harry smiled sheepishly under Draco's glare, "I have a letter for you that will explain the process to you."

The Boy-Who-Lived grabbed the parchment and spared it a quick glance. "So…I just have to be outside Hogwart's bounds by noon?" Draco spared him a nod to which Harry stated, "I can do that." Fleur saw Hermione glance at him curiously and knew that she would have to try and stop the Kanaima from going with him.

"Good, no-"

"Before we move on, Silver," Susan interrupted, "I have a quick question for Basilisk." She waited for his annoyed sigh before continuing. "Harry, why don't you wear glasses anymore? Don't you need them?"

Harry chuckled a bit before sparing Fleur a glance, "No actually, I don't. I'm not sure what happened, Fleur could probably explain it better, but basically when I did my fire spell, Kornélia…er…the Hungarian Horntail gave me like this…breath of fire sort of thing? It restored my depleted magical levels and made me loopy."

Ron quickly muttered, "That's an understatement."

"Anyways," Harry pushed his friend before continuing, "when she…well, breathed on me, I got this sharp pain in my eyes and head before the drunkness got me. When I woke up the next day, I could see without my glasses and I just felt…lighter in a way."

"Lighter?" Hermione asked.

Harry shrugged, "Yea, lighter. It was like a weight I never knew existed was lifted off of me. Everything seems brighter, every joke is funnier. It's a really strange feeling, but I'm definitely not complaining."

"Hmmm," the brunette sat back in contemplation, leaning into Fleur's side instinctively. The blonde could not help the quiet sigh of relief that escaped her as she wrapped an arm around her mate's shoulders. _Hopefully, she will forgive me for today and move past it._

 **Knowing our mate, I doubt it.**

Draco clapped his hands once, "Alright, let's get back to it. Light, has Ironside heard anything interesting through the Aurors?"

"Well…" Susan began to list everything she remembered her Aunt mentioning and Fleur found herself ignoring the girl. She could care less about British Aurors and what minor infractions they regulated on a daily basis. What interested her more was the fact that Hermione seemed to be puzzling over something.

" _What is it, my love,_ **"** she breathed into the girl's ear. Fleur might not have cared about the 'meeting', but she did not want to interrupt.

Hermione rested her head on her shoulder and whispered back, **"** _It's something that Harry said about the dragon. In all of my study of such things, I have never heard of a light feeling like he described. The perfect vision? Sure. I am positive that if he looked, any ailments that had plagued him before are now gone. But to have a different outlook on life? A magical supplement like that should not affect the brain at all._ **"**

" _Maybe it is just because of the cure of his alleged ailments? He had been living with them for so long that he feels like a new person without them._ **"**

" _Perhaps…_ **"** the brunette trailed off, returning to her inner thoughts for the time being. There was nothing for Fleur to do ( _at least not at this time_ ) so she simply pulled the girl closer.

Draco interrupted her thoughts, "That's good, Light. Tell her to keep an eye on the Jenkins case and see if anything comes up. I'm slightly worried that an employee of the Department of Magical Games and Sports disappeared before the Tournament."

"You think there is something more to it?" Neville asked.

"Maybe, maybe not. I just find it odd that somebody with knowledge of the Tournament would disappear, then a month later the Boy-Who-Lived is entered as a fourth Champion in a TRIwizard Tournament."

Everybody was silent for a moment, allowing the thought to digest. They did not have too long to think about it though as Draco clapped his hands again. "Let's not worry about it right now. We came here to solve the clue to the Second Task and we are wasting time. Basilisk, you called for this so put your egg forward first. We will listen to yours, then Fury's and see if we can come up with anything."

"Alright," Harry slowly walked forward with the golden egg in hand, "but I might warn you, it's pretty loud."

Fleur spared a look at a scared Ron and Neville. Both boys already had their hands over their ears. Draco saw their reactions too and nodded his head, "So we have been warned."

Harry dug his nails into the top of the egg and pulled, opening it like a flower. Upon opening, the egg let lose a devilish shriek that seemed to have no beginning or end. All of the Hogwarts students immediately covered their ears, trying to block out the ricocheting sound from completely destroying their hearing. Even Hermione curled up, whining slightly as her sensitive ears were pierced by the unholy screaming. Harry quickly moved to close the egg up, not able to bear the noise any longer.

Fleur shot it out of his hands.

Only Draco, Blaise, and Harry saw her cast the spell as they were the only ones not completely debilitated from the noise. Therefore they were the only ones to see her stalk towards the egg, her face completely blank as she listened to the bastardized form of Veela song.

 **"Come seek us where our voices sound,**

 **We cannot sing above the ground,**

 **And while you're searching, ponder this;**

 **We've taken what you'll sorely miss,**

 **An hour long you'll have to look,**

 **And recover what we took,**

 **But past an hour — the prospect's black,  
**

 **Too late, it's gone, it won't come back."**

As the song began again, Fleur quickly went to the egg and closed it, shutting the sound off abruptly much to everyone's relief.

 **They would not dare,** the Veela kept repeating, rage slowly building within her. She felt worry come from Hermione and quickly blocked the Bond as much as she could.

 _You need to stop,_ she ordered as she summoned her own golden egg, _it may be wrong, we may be wrong._

 **You know I am not.**

 _We will see._

Fleur pulled her own egg apart and gritted her teeth as the same song played again. The seven students surrounding her quickly covered their ears once more, some yelling at her to close the bloody thing. She did not pay them any attention. Fleur felt herself drift in and out of control as the song finished once more and the Veela quickly shut the egg with a snap.

The echo of the song still played around them as she glared down at the clue. Fleur could feel the feathers along her arms and the lengthening of her talons as her mind processed what the song meant. Her breathing increased and her talons curled as she understood what the song threatened to take from her.

 **What the Tournament officials were going to take from her.**

"Fleur…"

With a shriek, the Veela picked up their egg and tossed it against the stone head, growling lowly as they saw not a dent in its golden shell. Flames were summoned in the palm of their hand and shot at it, hoping that their fire was hot enough to melt the magic protecting it. A scream echoed around the Chamber as their fire ran out so they began to rain spell after spell down upon the egg, some they knew and some they had only read about.

They did not detect any movement behind them, so focused they were on destroying the egg. Their mind saw each official and how clever they thought they were for using a Siren's song as a clue. They could imagine how the officials would laugh, thinking none of the Champions would ever think about putting the egg in water to listen. The Magicals were unfortunate that they were made Champion. And they swore that they would make every last one of them pay.

A hand gripped their shoulder and they quickly turned, pinning the person to the stone head with a shriek. It was only as they sensed their mate that they quickly adjusted their stance and placed a taloned hand beside her head rather than around her throat. They spread their wings out ( _when did they form_ , Fleur thought briefly) in a menacing fashion to warn everyone else away.

"Fleur," their mate spoke softly. They could sense the worry and concern coming from their feline in waves.

Not fear though.

Never fear.

Not from her.

The fear they felt was from the six Magicals behind them and they did not have the time to deal with fledglings.

"Please Fleur," the girl reached her hand out and smoothed down the feathers along their shoulder. They felt their breathing relax slighting under the soothing touch and pressed their forehead to their mate's, intently studying the different shades of amber in her eyes. The inner Human willed them to calm down, for their mate's sake if nothing else.

Fleur closed her eyes and continued to breathe, her feathers falling away from her and leaving her in the remains of her shirt. She was lucky that her wings had not torn the collar this time or she would be giving the Hogwarts students quite a show at this point. For some reason, the thought made her chuckle.

Hands rubbed up and down her, now bare, arms and she forced her eyes open to see Hermione gazing at her in concern. It was only then that she remembered what had caused her rage, what had caused the fire to burn so hot that she could not contain it.

Seeing the offending object lying a few feet away (the Veela smirked slightly as they saw it now melted and dented) caused her to snarl. She quickly summoned it to her, holding it tightly in one hand and her drawn wand in the other, and quickly turned around. Fleur did not bother to be concerned as the other students scrambled to move out of her way of the exit. Their looks of fear was nothing new to her and she had more important business to take care of now.

"Fleur! Wait! Where are you going?" Hermione caught up to her and pulled on her arm. "Please, what happened?"

Fleur finally turned to look at her mate, noting the concern, the worry, the love, and support. She looked towards the other students and saw their fear, but also how they did not back away from her. They had followed Hermione, standing behind her mate as a protective wall, ready to follow them into the unknown.

 **Allies,** the Veela gruffed and that was all the confirmation Fleur needed.

" _Maya,_ **"** Fleur smoothed one of her curls back (for some reason, that one action calmed her more than anything else) **"** _Please, I need you to stay with your friends. I do not know how long I will be, but I must take care of this immediately. I will knock on the painting to Gryffindor's place when I am done._ **"**

She did not wait for a response before she looked towards Harry. "Make sure she stays wiz you." Fleur commanded the boy. He swallowed thickly and nodded.

With a nod of respect and after placing a quick kiss to Hermione's forehead, Fleur stalked towards the exit, her grip on both the egg and her wand tightening. The blonde ignored the hard whispers she left in her wake and the echo of worry along the Bond as she focused on a single thought, _I hope Dumbledore is up for a bit of company tonight._

The Veela shrieked with a harsh laughter as they reached the base of the ladder.

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

 **AN:** Let me ask you guys a quick question. Have you ever been so far behind that you think you're ahead only to have everything catch up to you at once and you're left thinking, "Dafuq just happened?"? That's me right now. So, I'm just going to drop this off, hope its up to par, and be on my merry way.

 **Disclaimer:** Amazingly enough, I still don't own Harry Potter. I'm sure if I did, I wouldn't have this much stress.

-xXx-

Fleur wondered what a sight she presented as she stalked through the dark corridors towards the Headmaster's office. It was only after she had flown up the long tunnel and allowed her wings to recede that she realized the state of her clothes. The back of her shirt had been completely ripped open and it was only thanks to the collar and a small connected strip along the bottom that saved her modesty. Both of her sleeves were missing thanks to the fire she had summoned earlier (the blonde cursed the fact that Veela fire travelled up the arms). Her jeans were torn and burnt in some places, presumably from the backlash of some of the spells she used. Somehow she had lost a shoe and had kicked the other off in frustration. All in all, she probably looked like a mad woman either coming to or leaving an intense battle. At least, that's what she gathered from the paintings she passed as the hallways were empty.

She could not really say that she cared at that point.

It seemed like forever (it truly amazed her that she did not get lost in the maze called Hogwarts) until Fleur reached the stone gargoyle that hid the Headmaster's office. It was only when she stepped in front of it and glared into its blank eyes that she realized she had not a clue what the password was or how to get in.

 _Fuck me,_ she growled.

A movement out of the corner of her eye sent her twirling, wand raised in defense as she crouched low. However, Fleur saw nothing but empty paintings surrounding her. She gave a wary look down both ends of the hallway, allowing the Veela's senses to flair out, but nothing was there to be detected.

 **We can worry about whatever it is later,** the Veela pressed intently against its barrier, **we need to get into the office. Now!**

A low hiss escaped her as Fleur turned her attention back to the gargoyle. She could not remember what the password had been (she had been more concerned over Hermione at the time) and knew there was no way into the office without getting passed the gargoyle.

Just as she raised her wand and was about to attempt a break in, the gargoyle rose up, flapping its wings slightly, and rotated around to reveal the spiral staircase.

This brought Fleur up short. She had not expected to gain entry that easily and she had the brief thought that the Headmaster had been expecting her.

 **There goes our element of surprise,** the Veela grumbled.

She rolled her eyes at it, _there would not have been much surprise to our attack. We raged through the hallways like a…well…like a Veela. Surely somebody saw and reported us._

Fleur looked up and down the hallway one more time, the feeling of eyes on her sending chills down her spine. It was only by clutching the warped metal of the egg in her hand that brought the fire back and reminded her of her mission. With a slight huff, Fleur climbed the stairs.

She had not even reached the top when Dumbledore's voice carried through the door, "Please, come in Miss Delacour." The door opened from within and Fleur did not hesitate entering.

The soft singing of Dumbledore's phoenix instantly died the moment she stepped foot into the room. Fleur never spared it a glance as she focused on the old Wizard before her, sitting behind his desk with a small smile.

He waved his hand before him, motioning for her to take a seat, and asked, "Lemon Drop?"

The glass container made a lovely shattering sound as she sent it into the wall with a wave of her wand.

"I will take that as a no then," the Headmaster eyes sparkled gently. "Most people just say 'no thank you'."

Fleur felt fire race up her arms as the fury returned full force. She never hesitated in pointing her wand at the old man, the Veela dying to wipe that smile from his face. A 'whooshing' sound drew her attention for a moment and she quickly found herself staring down the business end of the Potion Professor's wand.

"You zink you will be fast enough?" she gritted through her teeth. The Veela was demanding control and it was all she could do to keep it at bay.

"Severus, put your wand away," Dumbledore sent the Man a stern look, "there is no need for violence tonight. We are not the enemy, Miss Delacour."

"Aren't you?!" she screamed, the Veela rushing up beside her consciousness as they spoke. Sparks formed at the tip of their wand as feathers began to emerge once more. "Only an enemy would place me in such a position! Only an enemy would zreaten me like zis!" Fleur threw the remains of her egg at the Headmaster. She was severely disappointed when he wandlessly batted it away. "You 'ave done boz in zee span of a monz so tell me, 'ow does zat not make you my enemy?!"

"Headmaster," Snape spoke softly, "perhaps I can-"

" **You will do nothing or I will make sure you can never stir a cauldron again,"** the Veela roared. The Man had been a thorn in their and their Sister's sides since they arrived and they had had enough.

" **I must ask you not to threaten my employee,"** Dumbledore said in a calm, yet dangerous, tone.

They glared at the Man, rage reaching a boiling point as they bared their teeth. **"You dare,"** they responded in an equally calm tone, **"to speak to me in a bastardized form of my own language when you are neither blood related or of a mated pair?"**

" **Some would say that your language is the bastardized form of theirs,"** his eye sparkled for a moment as the smile returned to his face, "but that is neither here nor there. If you must know, I was given permission to use the language as a reward from a Merman King. It is a rather fascinating story if you ever want to hear about it."

"I do not care," they ground out. "You will not put 'er in danger just for the entertainment of Magicals! I forbid it."

Dumbledore sighed, "I see you figured out the clue."

" _Only an idiot would not understand the song,_ **"** they breathed heavily through clenched teeth, tensing suddenly as Snape began to move. The Man had not taken more than a single step before they sent a fire ball at his feet, smiling devilishly as the carpet began to burn.

A hissing sound erupted as Dumbledore put out the flames before turning his attention back to them. They had to give him credit, he did not show any fear before their unwavering wand.

"Please, Miss Delacour, sit down. There is no need for this violence and you are making my associate nervous." He chuckled slightly at Snape's incredulous expression, "I'm sorry, Severus, but it is the truth."

They felt close to burning the whole place down; they did not understand the older man's joking demeanor in their presence. "Enough!" they screamed, "Swear you will not use 'er for zee next Task. Swear zat she will be left alone and I will go. I know zat zere is no 'ope for me to get out of zis mess, but it is my burden! She should not be put in zee middle of it." The Veela side cursed them for their almost begging attitude, but they could not help it. The longer the fire raged within them, the higher chance their Sisters would feel their anger and come to their defense (and a flock of angry Veela was definitely not something this British school needed). Not to mention the fact that they were desperate to go see their mate and reassure her that all would be well.

It was just unfortunate that Dumbledore sighed softly, "I am afraid that my hands are tied in this matter." She let loose a quick shriek and he held up his hands for peace. "Please, sit down so we can discuss this. Let me prove to you that I am still an ally of the Delacour Clan."

As if that was the signal it needed, the phoenix began to sing a soft, gentle song, lulling everyone in the room into a peaceful like state. Fleur blinked once as she felt the Veela suddenly recede (it did so with a grumble) and felt her wand lower unconsciously. Even Snape, who had been tense since she had arrived, holstered his wand and took a step back, nearly disappearing into the shadows of the room.

Fleur felt her emotions rise and had to blink back the tears that threatened to form (the Veela blamed the phoenix song for their weakness) as the reality of her situation hit. It was as if her worst nightmare was coming to life and there was nothing she could do.

"Please, 'eadmaster," she begged, near falling into the chair before his desk, "you are a great ally to my Clan, a personal friend to my grandmére. She 'as told me many stories about you and 'ow when you called for 'er 'elp wiz zee war, she was quick to answer. Is zere truly nozing zat can be done to keep my mate out of zis Tournament? I 'ave read zee stories of past Tournaments. 'ow, not only zee Champions are in danger, but any 'ostages as well. I do not zink I could remain in control if somezing were to 'appen to 'ermione." She stared at the floor, gripping her hair in her hands as she admitted her fear before these two foreign Wizards. Fleur was hoping, praying even, that Harry and Ron were wrong about Dumbledore and he was truly the man that her grandmaman claimed him to be.

Dumbledore heaved a sigh, "This is one of the reasons that Beings were banned from competitions. It was not just for your strengths, but also for the fact that you have a great weakness that can easily be exploited." Fleur looked up at him, swallowing hard at his sad smile. "I am sorry, Fleur, but there really is nothing I can do. The Tasks were decided on by the Officials long before you or your school were told about the Tournament."

"By all of zee Officals?" Fleur felt the fire within burn once more at his nod. _She knew! She knew all along exactly what she was getting me into,_ betrayal clogged the back of her throat as she glared out the window, wishing the half-Giantess was standing before her.

 **It is another nail in her coffin.**

"Have you discussed these concerns of yours with your mate?"

The simple question caused Fleur to turn back to the Headmaster. The fire must not have left her eyes as she sensed Snape shift behind him.

Her silence must have been all the answer he needed as he frowned slightly, "Miss Delacour, your mate is not entirely defenseless. Even if the Tournament held a true sense of danger, I feel confident that Miss Hermione could defend herself quite well. And that is not even taking into consideration the intense training Professor Moody has been putting her through. She is truly an extraordinary young woman."

Fleur felt a slight blush twinge her cheeks, but quickly willed it away. She did not have time to discuss these things with him. "What do you mean 'if zee Tournament 'eld a sense of danger'? I feel like zee dragons were razer dangerous and could 'ave killed us all if we 'ad not been quick enough. Now you wish us to spend an 'our under a freezing lake in zee middle of février? Wizout zee proper protections, one of us could freeze to deaz easily. Not counting our 'ostages." She nearly spat out the word.

He laughed, the twinkle in his eye returning, "Dragons are dangerous creatures, yes, but they are also subject to magic like the rest of us. They had been given calming draughts before the Task and the chain that bound them limited the magic and strength they could use. Not to mention that their claws and teeth had been blunted. This severely weakened the potency of their fire and reduced the damage they could cause. The worst anyone could have suffered, and did suffer, were third degree burns and mild wounds, all of which are treatable. The only way someone would have died was if they were exposed to the fire for a long period of time or they were crushed. Several disillusioned Tamers were in the Arena at the time, not to mention those just behind the gate, to prevent such things from happening. None of the Champions were in any real danger, just enough to make it seem life threatening.

As for the next Task, there are several plans put in place. At the first sign of danger or if we feel the Champion cannot continue, they will be pulled out of the water immediately." Fleur blinked as he smiled at her, "but let us keep this between us, alright?"

She nodded unconsciously, sitting back in her chair. She only had one question that was burning brightly in her mind. "Why zough? Why go zrough all of zee trouble to make somezing seem dangerous?"

"To grow international cooperations, of course. What better way to bring people together than to see a representative of their country face off against extreme dangers?" His face turned grim for a moment as he continued. "We too know of the past Tournaments and the large amount of casualties by both Champion and spectator alike. All of the Officials wanted this Tournament to be as safe as possible while entertaining and delighting the spectators. The only way for somebody to be severely hurt or killed is if somebody stopped doing their job and, even then, there are multiple back-ups to each plan.

"Was this all decided before or after 'arry Potter was made a Champion?" She snarled. Fleur told herself that she should have been grateful that the Tasks were not as dangerous as she once thought, but the Veela hated being deceived.

Dumbledore sighed once more, "This all happened before Mr. Potter's involvement. That had been a factor we never counted on, or your own entrance for that matter. Olympe played us all when she placed your name in the Goblet and for that, I'm sorry."

Fleur nodded her head, "I 'ave come to terms wiz my own involvement and I know zat I will 'ave my justice when we return 'ome. I zank you for not allowing her to stay wizin zee castle." The Headmaster just smiled at her.

"I must ask you, 'eadmaster," Fleur leaned forward slightly, "why tell me all of zis? You must be breaking zee rules of zee Tournament by giving me all of zis information on zee inner workings. What do you 'ave to gain?"

"I do not have a flock of angry Veela in my school for one." His smile broadened. "I have been around your grandmother enough to know that if the Alpha is angry, the whole Clan is angry. By assuring you that your mate will not be in any harm, I have successfully calmed some of your fears and, therefore, prevented your Sisters from losing control."

He placed his hands on the desk before him, "But more importantly, I want to prove to you that I am not the enemy. I never have been, despite what many think. I have done things that some might not agree with, but it has all been for the greater good. That, I can promise you."

Fleur felt herself still at the announcement, Blaise's words suddenly echoing through her head from the meeting. The Headmaster was speaking as if he knew what Hermione's friends thought of him. _But that cannot be right,_ she narrowed her eyes in confusion, _there could be no way he would know anything like that._ Just to be sure, Fleur took a quick glance at the man's right hand; no silver band could be found.

"Now," Dumbledore clapped his hands and stood up, walking around his desk and towards the door, "I believe that is enough talk for one night. Something tells me that you are anxious to get back to your, assuredly, worried mate," Fleur flared her nostrils, "and I would hate to keep you from her." He opened the door and smiled warmly, the twinkling in his eyes unnerving her for a moment. The phoenix song was slowly giving her a headache and Fleur had never wanted more to be high in the sky than right then.

Slowly standing up (sparing the still hidden Potion's Professor a glance), Fleur walked to the door. The Veela stopped beside Dumbledore and stared intently out into stairway. "You swear she will not be 'armed?" It gritted through suddenly clenched teeth. It still had not gotten an oath from the Wizard (the one thing that they came there for) and it refused to leave without one.

"On my life, I swear that no harm will befall Hermione Delacour," Dumbledore said gravely. "She will more than likely be a bit uncomfortable, but that is because of her rather unique blood. It is unfortunate that she will not be able to join the others in their magical slumber, but I swear to you, besides that one aspect, she will be perfectly safe."

"Good," they spared him a glance. From the way he stilled, they knew that he could sense them both. **"If something does happen, if one hair on her head is harmed, I will end you."**

" **I would expect nothing less."**

-oOo-

Hermione stared blankly into the fire of Gryffindor Commons, her cup of tea long since cooled. Occasionally her eyes would drift down to the spread sheet of parchment, her eyes immediately drawn to Fleur's name within the Headmaster's office where the blonde was 'talking' with Dumbledore and (oddly) Snape. Hermione had no delusions that the blonde was actually giving the Men hell for whatever had set her off. A small part of her marveled over the magic behind the 'Marauder's Map' (as Harry and Ron had called it), but to be frank, she didn't give a shit at the moment.

She had spent most of her time since Fleur had stormed out of the Chamber wracking her brain to figure out what had happened to her mate. Of course, this time had also been spent worried about the blonde, trying to find a way to explain everything to her friends, and not shifting into her fur and eating said friends.

A harsh chuckle forced its way out of her lips as she unconsciously brought the cup up to take a sip only to immediately spit the near cold tea back out. The brunette growled lowly at the liquid (ignoring the nervous shiftings of her friends) and set the cup away from her.

Hermione didn't really want to eat her friends, but they had been hounding her since they left the Chamber about what had happened. She very nearly attacked Ron right after Fleur left when he stuck his foot in his mouth, "Sirius sure named that one accurately. Bloody scary she is." It had taken the combined forces of Harry, Neville, and Blaise to keep her away from the redheaded boy (who had comically hid behind Draco). The brunette had growled lowly at him, but eventually stormed off, knowing that Harry was right when he called him an 'insensitive git'. As she thought about it now, Hermione shot the boy in question a glare, who flinched back further in his chair.

 _But what could've happened,_ Hermione sat forward and stared at Fleur's name, _what set you off?_

She started to make a mental list, trying to remember everything that had happened once the egg opened. The wailing from the egg had been so shrill that she had been surprised that her ears hadn't bled. As it was, she could almost still feel the ringing that it had left behind. However, there was something about the screaming that had seemed so familiar yet different.

A part of her also realized that whatever happened, had to have something to do with her. From the moment Fleur first told her of their Bond, the Veela had made its protective nature known. If they were out in public, Fleur had a firm hold on her hand, near glaring at everybody who looked at them. School was much worse where the blonde insisted on walking her to and from classes. Don't even get her started about the one time one of her classmates came up to ask her out (the poor boy refused to even look at her after that).

But the noise of the screaming kept distracting her from truly understanding. It seemed to have no difference in pitch; just one, never-ending shriek that wanted to bust her eardrums. If only she could muffle it somehow (or at least reduce the amount of echo), she was sure she could recognize it.

Fleur's name suddenly moved forward a few inches and Hermione intently focused on the map. Snape had stepped behind the Headmaster and she could feel a portion of the Veela's rage dissipate. She tried to send her own feeling of peace through the Bond and hoped that the block Fleur had constructed between them had been brought down.

"Maya, please, say something," Neville finally broke the silence surrounding the four. "You've been silent since Fleur left and I'm starting to get worried."

Harry leaned forward, resting his hand upon her clenched ones, "We're here for you. Tell us what's going on in that big brain of yours and we can help you."

Hermione leaned back and sighed. "I'm just worried." She admitted quietly. "Not just for Fleur, but for all of us really."

"What do you mean?" Ron spoke up.

"Well…I mean…its just," she sighed in frustration, a headache forming behind her eyes. The brunette brushed a hand through her curls, trying to calm herself down before starting again, "Whatever pissed Fleur off had something to do with the egg and whatever the egg said had something to do with me. I-"

"Wait," Ron interrupted, his concentrating self not even recognizing her glare, "how do you know it had something to do with you?"

"It's the way of mates, Ronald. If the message said something about the Clan, Fleur would've been angry, yes, but way more calm. If it had something to do with her mom, dad, sister, whatever, she would've been slightly angrier, probably demand to go see them, but she wouldn't have lost control. But, because she did lose control on such a drastic level,"

"And because she ordered you to stay with us?" Neville asked.

"Right! She told me to stay with people she trusted. The fact that I wasn't even allowed to go back to our Sisters means that she was worried that whatever threatened me would attack now. Which is just silly." Hermione ended with a huff.

Harry scratched the side of his head, "So, wait. Fleur was, not only able to understand the egg, but probably also determined what the next Task was going to be. If you're right, then there's going to be something to do with hostages in a dangerous situation, which is complete and total bollocks by the way."

"Right?" Ron snorted, "Haven't the Officials read any of the past Tournament transcripts? Almost every Task that involved hostages ends badly for someone."

"And that's not even factoring in the fact that Fleur is, not only a Being, but the future leader of a rather large Clan." Hermione looked around at their confused looks and sighed. "If Fleur gets angry enough, then her Sisters will be able to feel it and become angry also. It's almost like a Hive Mind aspect. If the leader feels a strong enough emotion, then the members will feel the same emotion."

"So, we could potentially have a dozen angry Veela roaming Hogwarts?" Ron gulped. Hermione just shrugged, not wanting to confirm it out loud.

"But wait," the three looked towards Neville, "How did Fleur understand the egg in the first place?"

Hermione slammed herself back into the couch, "That's what I've been trying to figure out! The girl only knows three languages and maybe a spattering of Bulgarian. With how fast the Veela took control, I would almost say that it-" She stopped herself and barely resisted the urge to face palm. _How could I be so bloody stupid,_ she growled to herself as she swept aside the map. The boys all tensed as she drew her wand and pointed it at the table.

"Uh…Maya?" Harry started to ask right as she flicked her wand and transformed the table into a large tub.

"Harry, go get your egg." She growled out, filling the tub with water. _Of all the stupid things I could've ignored._

"But, its nighttime!" he hissed, "We're gonna wake everyone up." She shot him a quick glare which had him leaping from the couch. Harry walked up the stairs, grumbling the entire way as the other two boys watched him. By the time he came back down, the tub had been filled three-quarters. Hermione quickly snatched the egg from him, inspected the top to make sure she could open it before setting it into the water.

"So, uh," Ron began as the three boys settled around the tub, "wanna tell us mere Wizards what epiphany you had?"

"Wow, Ron," Harry punched him in the shoulder, "that's a really big word."

"Shut up, Harry," the red-faced boy replied.

Hermione didn't say a word as she confidently opened the egg under water. The boys flinched back in reflex, but relaxed as no screaming emerged. Not even a bubble of sound appeared. The brunette let a smug smirk form before she scowled, realizing the implication.

She quickly tied back her hair (there was no reason to get completely wet) and put her ear into the water. Hermione listened to the song a few times before she sat back up and muttered, "Shit".

"What is it?" Harry sat down beside her, concern etched in his voice.

She scowled down at the egg, "It's a Siren Song. The next Task is going to be in the middle of the lake and the Champions are going to have an hour to rescue their hostages."

"What?!" The three boys dove at the tub, anxious to hear the song for themselves, and ended up bashing their heads together. Hermione would've laughed at the sight if it weren't for her intense worry. _I'm going to be stuck down in the lake for who knows how long in the middle of February. Bloody fantastic. And that's not even considering the major disadvantage Fleur is going to be at._

"Are you sure it's about hostages?" Neville asked as he finished listening to the clue. At her confused glance, he continued, "It said that if the Champion fails to obtain their object, they will never get the object back. I find it hard to believe that the Officials would permanently kidnap four people and keep them prisoner forever."

Ron shook his head, "Its incentive, Nev. If you knew somebody very important to you would be taken away from you if you failed to reach them in time, you're going to fight that much harder."

"Do you think that's why Fleur got so mad?" Harry turned to her, "She thought that you would be taken from her forever?"

"I doubt it. Not even a Pure-Blood Supremist who thinks Beings are nothing but semi-intelligent creatures would be stupid enough to come between a mated pair. No, I think she just doesn't want me involved at all."

"Huh"

All four of them sat around the tub deep in thought. Suddenly, Harry burst out laughing, startling the other three. After calming down (and seeing their confused stares) he explained, "Ron, you're going to be my bloody hostage! I'm going to have to rescue you from the lake."

"What?! How do you figure that?" By Ron's pale face, Hermione could imagine he didn't like the sound of that.

"Because you're my best friend! If they go for people closest to the Champion, you'll be my hostage, Maya will be Fleur's…"

"Cho will be Diggory's." Neville chimed in earning a glare from the Boy-Who-Lived. Hermione stared back and forth at them.

Neville, at seeing her confusion, grinned, "Cho Chang. Fifth Year Ravenclaw. Currently Diggory's girlfriend, but Harry wouldn't be too upset if they suddenly broke up." This earned a ball of parchment to be thrown at the boy.

"Bloody hell, Harry! Everyone's going to think we're dating!" Ron stood up at the exclamation. This caused everyone to pause before they started laughing, the stress of the night forgotten at the ridiculous statement.

Hermione looked down, her chuckle dying immediately as she saw Fleur's name rapidly moving away from the Headmaster's office. She quickly picked up the map and watched as Fleur stopped at the staircases, paced back and forth a few times, before turning and walking down the stairs. Hermione followed the name all the way to the front door where Fleur moved even faster than before, heading towards the Forest.

She could still feel her mate's rage and knew that the blonde was trying to calm down before coming and getting her. _Like I'm just going to stay here while she worries and suffers._ Hermione stood up, throwing the map onto the couch, and started towards the door.

Or at least she would have, if Harry hadn't stood up and blocked her path.

"Where are you going?" He hesitated, looking at the other two boys for help. Hermione narrowed her eyes at him and tried to walk around the boy only to have him block her every move.

She growled lowly, "Move, Harry."

"I'm sorry, but I can't. Fleur asked us to keep you here and that's what I'm going to do."

"Yea, mate." At this point Ron and Neville had come up behind her and stood on either side, "Why don't we just sit back down and talk about this Task. Perhaps we can figure out a way to keep Harry alive for an hour underwater in the freezing cold."

"We have three months to figure that out," she kept her eyes focused on the Boy-Who-Lived, "Right now I need to go, so move."

"Come on, Maya, don't be like this," Harry begged.

"I wouldn't be like this if you would just get out of my way."

A whooshing to her right had her quickly drawing her wand and pointing it at Ron, the surprise on his face showing that he thought he was being sneaky. Hermione felt another wand poke her in the back where Neville stood and growled lowly.

"Please, Hermione. Don't make me do this. Fleur told us to keep you here and that's what we are going to do." His voice shook slightly at the end and Hermione knew he really didn't want a confrontation, but she really didn't care. Her mate needed her and she would be damned if three Man Cubs were going to stand in her way.

Sparing a glance at Harry (and smiling inside when she noticed he hadn't drawn his wand yet), Hermione quickly ducked, rolling away from the center of their circle. She heard Ron suck in a breath of surprise and quickly hit him with a silent Perfectus Totalus. Neville began to wave his wand, but the boy was too slow ( _I'll have to work on that with him_ ) and she sent a Stupefy his way before he finished the spell. Harry cursed and fumbled for his wand ( _You shouldn't keep it in your back pocket, Harry_ ) and she took the opportunity to move, trying to duck past him towards the door.

It was only due to his Seeker skills that allowed him grab ahold of her shirt and toss her back. "Come on, Hermione," he cried out, finally drawing his wand and pointing it at her, "this is stupid!"

"No, what's stupid is you think you can try and stop me." She tilted her head to the side, eyeing his hesitating moves like a predator stalking its prey. She tried to shake the giddy sensation that always formed in a duel and focus on the conversation. "Like, seriously Harry, what's the point in trying to stop me? I'm just going to the Forbidden Forest. It's not like I'm going to do something stupid."

"Fleur told us to keep you here and, if I'm honest, that woman is bloody scary. I would rather not have an angry Veela after us for not following her orders, thanks."

Hermione snorted, "I hardly think she would be that angry at you. But, I have to ask you something Harry."

He hesitated again, "What's that?"

"Would you rather have a mildly irritated Veela tomorrow morning or a pissed off Saber Tooth right now?"

He blinked at her in shock and she tried to move past him again. Harry shot a stunner towards her which she easily blocked and quickly changed to her fur, roaring at the irritating Man Cub that refused to listen to her. Hermione growled lowly as she paced back and forth before him. She really didn't want to hurt her friend, but this entire confrontation was ridiculous.

Harry swallowed loudly but steadied his wand. _A true Gryffindor through and through then_ , she thought with a huff. Rather than try and dash past him (which would've surely ended up with either of them hurt), Hermione turned around, leaping over the couch, and dashed towards the window. She briefly changed out of her fur long enough to blast the window open, but changed back and leapt out of it.

A shout followed her escape, but she focused on leaping from ledge to ledge, using the Scottish gargoyles (she nearly fell when one yelled at her) as stepping stones on her way to the bottom. It was only by shear dumb luck that she didn't fall and kill her fool self. When she landed on the ground, Hermione spared a quick glance back up at the window to see Harry looking down at her in disbelief. She changed out of her fur, gave the Boy-Who-Lived a cheeky grin and a two finger salute, before changing back and running off towards her mate.

 _Let's see them try and beat that,_ she growled happily. Fleur would never believe what she had just done and Hermione found herself oddly excited to tell the blonde.

-oOo-

It didn't take long for her to find her Veela. She was honestly surprised that Fleur had landed at all, expecting to have to chase the bird down before they talked. As it was, Fleur was sat in the middle of a clearing, her molted feathers surrounding her as she wrapped her wings around herself. Hermione thought the blonde looked like a fallen angel, the moonlight causing her blonde hair to shine brightly and the golden aura to become more pronounced.

The sight nearly broke her heart.

The saber tooth huffed gently as she entered the clearing, padding up to Fleur to nudge against her. The blonde didn't seem mad at all (which Hermione thanked Merlin for) and simply chuckled, pulling her closer and wrapping a wing around her.

" _I am honestly surprised you stayed with them so long,_ **"** Fleur pressed her lips to the top of her head before burrowing her face in the saber tooth's neck.

Hermione hummed gently at the feeling, rubbing their heads together before shifting back and wrapping her arms around the blonde. **"** _I had to figure out the clue first,_ **"** she mumbled, **"** _By then you were already heading here so I just followed._ **"**

" _How badly did you hurt them?_ **"** At Hermione's incredulous look, Fleur chuckled. **"** _I have heard enough rumors in this school to know how hard-headed Gryffindors are. I am also mated to one so I know the truth first hand. I figured they would try and force you to stay until I got there, but I knew you would not agree to that._ **"**

Hermione ducked her head bashfully, **"** _I hit Ron with a Body Bind and Stupified Neville. Harry tried to hex me as well, but I think I scared the piss out of him when I shifted. Then I jumped out of the window._ **"**

" _The window?_ **"** Fleur blinked at her in surprise. **"** _You jumped out of the window?_ **"**

" _Yes._ **"**

" _From the tower?_ **"**

" _Yes, Fleur._ **"**

"… _Have you grown wings?_ **"**

Hermione laughed, shaking her head and burrowing into Fleur's side. **"** _No, but Harry was being a typical Gryffindor. The only way around him was to duel and I did not want to hurt him. The window was my only option._ **"**

She felt Fleur shake her head and pull her closer. Nothing was said between them for a while, the sounds of the Forest giving them a sense of comfort.

" _I am afraid, Hermione._ **"** Fleur finally muttered, staring into the darkness intently.

" _I know._ **"**

" _I do not want you involved._ **"**

" _I know that too._ **"**

She felt anger rise in the girl beside her before it was quickly snuffed out. With the sudden rush of emotion, Hermione could only guess it was the Veela making itself known before Fleur got it back under control.

" _We may have threatened Dumbledore._ **"**

Hermione pulled back to stare at her mate which caused the Veela to blush. **"** _You threatened Dumbledore? Why?_ **"**

" _Because he and the other Officials threatened to take you away!_ **"** Feathers started dotting Fleur's hairline and there was a distinct growl to her voice. **"** _They are going to try and take you away from me and hide you out in a freezing lake just for their own entertainment. It is stupid and idiotic and there are a thousand things that could go wrong and I just cannot lose you._ **"** Fleur looked at her desperately, tears in her eyes as she leaned their foreheads together. **"** _It would kill me if something happened to you,_ **"** she muttered.

" _You are not going to lose me, silly bird._ **"** Hermione quickly pressed their lips together. **"** _And nothing is going to happen. If they try anything, well, I will show them exactly what Mad-Eye has been teaching me. I am not defenseless, you know._ **"**

Fleur gave a humorless chuckle, **"** _Dumbledore said almost the exact same thing. I know we are being silly, but this is every nightmare we ever had coming true._ **"**

" _No, your nightmares involve somebody sinister taking me away._ **"** She said knowingly. Merlin knew how many times she had to reassure the blonde that she was safe during their time together. **"** _This is a bunch of bored Magicals thinking this situation is nothing more than a game. I am actually quite insulted that you think I would willingly go with them._ **"**

Fleur laughed once more, **"** _My apologies, my lioness. I sometimes forget how fearsome your claws are._ **"**

" _A lot of people do. That is why when I attack, they are so surprised at how scary I really am._ **"**

" _Mhmm, like Mister Hagrid?_ **"** Hermione growled lowly at the half-Giant's name and Fleur pressed her lips to her hair in a silent apology.

Hermione waited a beat, feeling the Veela beside her calm down and start to purr. It was times like these where she wished they were back home, in their own woods, safe and sound and not a worry in the world. The brunette missed lazy days with her mate and the lessons with the Clan. She wished with all her heart that they could go back there.

However, right now it was impossible. There were too many things going on, too many plots they were caught up in. If she stopped to think about everything, it would surely overwhelm her in an instant.

" _We will get through this,_ **"** Hermione muttered, but whether it was for Fleur's sake or her own, she had no clue. Fleur, on her part, didn't say a word, just pulled her as tight as possible with both arms and wings as they sat in the dark Forest.

A cold wind suddenly blew through the clearing and Fleur shivered slightly. Hermione quickly got up and shifted to her fur, gladly wrapping her larger form around the Veela to offer warmth. A soft sigh escaped the blonde as she dug her fingers into the thick fur and leaned into the feline.

It was only when Hermione knew that her mate wouldn't freeze that she looked up and saw the first snowflakes begin to fall.

-xXx-

 **AN:** A wild post-story AN appears!

A lot of guest reviewers have been asking about Hermione's mother and when/if they will meet up and all these other questions. If you haven't figured it out by now, I like to take my time story telling and I usually feel like I either give away too much or too little detail. Like, I know that I've had multiple chapters that span the length of a day while another single chapter skips an entire month. To me, its all about the rhythm of the story and how best to present information to you guys. For example, I had planned to have an event happen several chapters ago that just never happened because it didn't fit in with the, then, current series of events. To everybody asking questions like this, to quote Mr. Incredible, "We'll get there, when we get there!" But seriously, I have no clue as to when things will happen at this point because the story is basically writing itself. I am merely a humble instrument being used to type away.

 **Thanks for reading!**


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

 **Disclaimer:** Harry Potter is but a lovely story by the even lovelier JK Rowling. I am but playing with her ideas for my own enjoyment.

-xXx-

As Hermione sat in the enchanted courtyard, she wondered how she ever thought things would settle down. Don't get her wrong, everything had been alright for a while. There were no more fights or arguments that she or her family was involved in, Maxime hadn't resurfaced since her and the Twins' prank, and everything was, relatively, calm. Of course, that was just for a week.

On Monday, the Tournament Officials turned everything upside down with a single announcement at lunch.

There was going to be a Ball.

A Yule Ball to be precise. Hermione chuckled quietly to herself as she remembered the Veela complaining that it wouldn't celebrate the Solstice properly.

After the announcement, every single student (and quite a few teachers she noticed) seemed to be a bundle of nervous, flirty energy as they bounced between one another to try and find a date. She had never seen so many groups of girls chittering like hens or gangs of boys trying to outdo one another just in hopes of impressing somebody.

Hermione observed it all like a tourist at a zoo.

Of course, the Veela were not entirely unaffected either. Everybody in their group (including her, much to Fleur's annoyance) had been propositioned more than a few times to accompany somebody to the Ball. Amélie had (jokingly) started a tally sheet of who had gotten asked the most, who had the best /most romantic way of being asked, and who had the hottest person ask them. It had definitely started as a joke, but somehow the Twins had found out about it and were now taking bets among the Beauxbaton students. _Must be a redheaded thing,_ she thought in amusement.

At least, for everyone else it was a joke. Fleur, on the other hand, seemed to take insult to anything and everybody that mentioned the word 'Ball'. Ever since her Veela had heard the Song, she had become way more possessive. To most people, Hermione was sure that the constant touching, being escorted everywhere, and the low growling when somebody came near would be off-putting. To her though, it was entirely amusing and somewhat endearing. Mostly she had learned just to take things in stride when it came to Veela, _Thank Merlin_.

At the sound of the Veela around her giggling, Hermione sighed and looked up from her book, watching as a nervous Slytherin made his way to them. She felt the arm around her waist tighten briefly and resisted the urge to laugh at Fleur.

"Ex-" he cleared his throat, "excuse me, Mademoiselle Delacour?"

Hermione had to bite her lip as the boy looked at her, his chin raised in the air with a false bravado even though his forehead was dotted with sweat. Fleur growled lowly while she heard Amélie burst into church giggles on her other side.

"Oui?" Hermione found it more amusing if she stuck to French when somebody asked her. Seemed to catch them off-guard somehow.

She had to give him credit, he only blinked once in shock. The boy gave her (what he assuredly thought was) a flirty smirk and said, "I must insist that you accompany me to the Yule Ball. You will not find a better offer within this castle and I can assure you that I will show you a very good time." His smile turned creepy and Hermione had to grip Fleur's thigh tightly to keep her from leaping up.

"Uh…well," the brunette raised an eyebrow at the Slytherin while leaning into her mate, "as flattering as that is, I am already going with somebody. I am…terribly sorry."

"Who? Point him out for me and I will show you that I am a better match. Such a beautiful girl should not have to deal with somebody that does not suit her."

 _It's like no one has paid attention to us since we got here,_ Hermione rolled her eyes at the boy, _a deaf and blind man could tell that Fleur and I are together._

It was at that point that she lost control of the blonde beside her who jumped up and whipped her wand out. The boy had enough sense to step back and put his hands in front of him, the cocky look suddenly changing to one of terror.

"Leave!" Fleur hissed out, motioning her wand back the way he had come. The stupid boy took a second to glance in her direction and Fleur quickly shot a Stinging hex at him. With a yelp, the Slytherin took off, back to his laughing friends just as Hermione began pulling Fleur back down.

" _And that is another one for Maya._ **"** Amélie clicked her tongue as she swiped a quill against parchment. **"** _It was not romantic in anyway and was actually quite insulting, so you do not get any points for that. Fleur, on the other hand, beat her record from yesterday of a minute and thirty seconds. Slightly disappointed you did not cast another Levicorpus, but the hex works just as well I guess._ **"** Another moment of scratching as the other Sisters began to laugh.

" _Who is in the lead?_ **"** Hermione couldn't help but lean over the irate blonde, trying to catch a glimpse of the parchment.

Amélie quickly snatched it away, giving her a half-hearted glare, **"** _Just like everyone else, you will find out at the Ball. However, my Sisters,_ **"** the redheaded sighed dramatically, **"** _we are obviously doing a terrible job at being Veela if a feline is even getting a single offer while we are being ignored. I am most disappointed in us. You especially_ _Gisélle_ _._ **"** The Veela in question gave her a bewildered look as the others burst out laughing.

It was about that time that McGonagall called for everybody in the courtyard, anxious to count heads of the students going to Hogsmeade for the day. It had taken some (quite a lot, actually) convincing, but Hermione finally managed to talk Fleur into going without her. Of course, Amélie and Diane had helped immensely and she would always be grateful to the other Veela for helping her mate relax a bit.

" _Are you sure you do not want me to stay?_ **"** Fleur turned to her, a slight frown marring her pretty face.

Hermione barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes again (this had been an ongoing conversation all week) and pecked the blonde on the lips. **"** _I will be fine, Fleur. I have some studying to catch up on so I will probably be in the library most of the day. Which is promised to be very boring. So, go, have fun, and have a Butterbeer for me, yes?_ **"**

Fleur hesitated for a moment before Hermione finally pushed her up and towards the group. **"** _Alright. Alright, I know when I am not wanted._ **"** Hermione laughed at the Veela's half smirk. **"** _I will get you some of those chocolates you like._ **"** Fleur relaxed and bent down, kissing her quickly once more before walking over to her friends.

" _And some parchment!_ **"** the brunette called after her, laughing lightly as her mate waved back at her.

Hermione watched the group, making faces at Fleur who refused to turn away. It was only after McGonagall tapped the blonde on the shoulder that she finally left with a kiss goodbye. Hermione smiled slightly at the Transfiguration professor and waited till the group had left before turning back to her book.

The Auror Training Manuel proved to be more interesting that she had originally thought, providing an interesting look into the thinking of British Aurors. Moody had laughed at her joy of it and had gladly let her borrow it with a promise that he had something even more exciting once she memorized it front to back.

Thinking about the grizzled wizard brought a frown to her face. He had been disappointed that she had been caught with the whole Maxime business (her reasoning that Fleur almost always knew what she was up to had fallen on deaf ears). He did commend her for her tactics, but said that they would be working on stealth for a little bit.

"Why would I ever need stealth?" she had asked in a fit of rage. The sting from getting caught, her extra detention, and the humiliation Fleur had put her through had still not left her and she had taken it out in their next training session. Moody had been impressed with her intensity (she might've blown his wooden leg off at one point) and had told her that they were changing directions a bit.

She had to quickly dodge the bolt of lightning he sent her way as he said, "Because there's not much more I can teach you in the way of dueling. You create your own spells as you need them and you're faster than any damn Wizard I've ever faced. The only thing we can do is keep practicing so you learn to read every situation, but I cannot teach you intent. You need to want to win, you need to HAVE to win. That's not something taught in a classroom, but in the real world." He fired some sort of purple spell at her which she deflected towards the wall. Hermione looked at the deep gouge it left behind in shock.

"Are you trying to kill me, Old Man?! What the bloody hell was that?" She motioned towards the wall, "If that had hit, I would be dead!"

Moody barked out a laugh, "Why do you think I cast it silently? It loses a good portion of its strength so it wouldn't kill you in that state. Knock you on your ass for a few weeks and probably would've marked your pretty skin, but it wouldn't've killed you."

"You're insane!"

"Of course I am! And tonight I'm hiding a very dangerous potion that will kill everyone in Ravenclaw Tower if it's not defused by midnight. If you don't want all those poor children to die, I suggest you sneak in and find it. If you get caught, I'll set it off beforehand. Now get out of my sight."

And that is how Hermione had found herself starting her 'extracurricular' activities of sneaking around Hogwarts after curfew. The first time, she had had to tell Fleur that it was for one of her detentions and, while she didn't think the blonde believed her, she was still able to leave without Fleur following. Of course, the 'dangerous potion' Moody had talked about was just a Laughing Potion with the final ingredient hovering over the cauldron. Definitely not life-threatening, but would've had all of Ravenclaw laughing uncontrollably for the day.

Hermione smiled now as she thought back to the various assignment she had received. Some were 'real world simulations' as Moody called them. 'There is a spy amongst us. Find him, follow him, see what he tells,' was probably one of her favorites. Moody would have some poor student take a message to a random spot and drop it off during one of the meals. All she had to do was follow them, wait till they left, read the message, then report back to the ex-Auror. Of course, if she got caught (which she had a few times) the student was to pull out one of the Weasley's Noise Makers and throw it at her, alerting everybody in the vicinity of what was happening. She wasn't sure how Moody convinced the students to do these things, but it was rather entertaining.

Other 'missions' involved sneaking into one of the Common Rooms (one time it was the Durmstrang ship) and either pick something up or 'diffuse another potential threat'. Hermione had given Moody all sorts of trinkets. Socks were a common item to grab, but the occasional homework assignment, book, or even once a lock of hair were also requested. It always gave the brunette such a thrill whenever she got in and out undetected and she looked forward to these 'missions' every day. Fleur, of course, knew something was up, but never mentioned anything and for that, Hermione was grateful.

After sneaking around for two week, Hermione knew the castle like the back of her hand. She knew where all Houses were located, the passwords of each (Ravenclaw's 'puzzle' password was the stupidest thing she ever encountered), and how to blend in whenever in plain sight. Practical skills like reading a person's emotions and gaining information had always come easy to her, but these 'missions' perfected those abilities. It quite amazed her how fast she had learned to sneak around, but being thrust into unfamiliar situations was a rather quick teacher.

The Kanaima was brought out of her musings by another person sitting way too close to her on the bench. She looked up and barely resisted the urge to groan as she caught sight of Cormac McLaggen, some Fifth Year Gryffindor that wouldn't leave her alone. He had been on the receiving end of several of Fleur's hexes, yet that hadn't seemed to deter him in the slightest.

"I'm not going with you to the Ball, McLaggen. Stop asking." Hermione stood up and quickly walked away, not waiting to hear his reasoning this time. She wrapped her cloak tighter around her as she walked out from the warming enchantment of the courtyard and into the cold hallways that was Hogwarts in December.

Footsteps behind her made her sigh in frustration. _I'll have to take a few shortcuts to the library it seems._

-oOo-

Hermione was thankful that McLaggen was as stupid as he was persistent. After dodging behind a few paintings, going up and down the stairs several times, and hiding for a moment in an alcove, the boy had lost track of her. She cringed in disgust as he had walked by her hiding place, speaking aloud of how much 'fun' they would have at the Ball together and how much easier it would be if she just 'gave in'. The brunette barely resisted the urge to hex him, but decided that getting to the library was more important.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she settled at an out-of-the-way table and pulled out her half-finished Transfiguration essay. Hermione had been grateful that McGonagall seemed to encourage her self-study, rather than demand she stick with the class. The older witch often filled her 'detention' ( _seriously_ , she chuckled, _why are we even calling our near nightly discussion 'detention' anymore?_ ) with interesting Transfiguration ideas and would sometimes have Flitwick come in and talk Charms with her.

The library was relatively bare since most of the students were either at Hogsmeade or outside enjoying the thick snow. Hermione looked out the window briefly, longing to go bound through the snow drifts, but sighed and looked back at her work. She had put it off long enough and really needed to get it done.

About an hour into her studying, Hermione felt a presence approach her and stop at the other end of the table. Fearing it was McLaggen, the young witch looked up, ready to hex the boy, when she stopped short. Hermione blinked in surprise as the tall and imposing figure of Viktor Krum peered down on her.

"Hello," he said softly, his usually stern face seeming more relaxed, "may I sit?"

"Um…sure? I apologize for the mess." she shook her head and pulled some of the books she had scattered about towards her. After things seemed relatively neater, she smiled up at him and held out her hand, "My name is Hermione Delacour. I don't think we have properly met."

Viktor took her hand and kissed her knuckles gently, baffling her at the gesture. "No, ve haff not. I know who you are though, Herm-own-ninny."

She winced slightly at the butchering of her name and gently extracted her hand from his grasp. Before the brunette could say anything in response, Viktor scooted his seat around until they were nearly side-by-side.

"Um…"

"I vanted to ask something, Herm-own-ninny."

"Ok?" This entire exchange had sent her for a loop and Hermione had the brief thought that she had fallen asleep on her essay and that this was all a dream.

Viktor took a deep breath and looked her in the eye, "It vould be greatest honor if you go vith me to Ball." He took ahold of her hand while saying this, brushing his thumb lightly over her knuckles.

She shook her head once in surprise before gently saying, "Er…I'm sorry, Mister Krum, but I am already going with somebody." Hermione tried to extract her hand once more, but he tightened his grip to a point where it would've hurt a normal Witch. She felt her eyes widen in confusion as his face contorted into rage.

"Vith that Beast." He seemed to hiss, his entire demeanor suddenly changing to that of barely controlled violence.

Hermione felt her nostrils flair as the words registered with her and she growled lowly. "Do not call her that in my presence again or you will regret it."

"You must not go vith vile creature, Herm-own-ninny." Viktor continued on, dragging her toward him until they were nearly nose to nose. "Her kind is evil! They put enchantments on you and there is no escape. I am trying to save you! You are too beautiful and too smart to be controlled by monster."

The Kanaima was nearly consumed by rage at that point and quickly jerked away, the sudden movement releasing her from Krum's grasp. He gave her a desperate look as she stood up and spared him a glare before silently gathering her things, afraid that if she spoke she would end up killing the fool. Hermione shook her head slightly, confused at how quickly the conversation turned and wondering where the calm Krum the papers reported on was.

"Herm-own-ninny, I can help you break spell she has on you," she quickly jerked away as he tried to grab ahold of her again, "You do not haff to suffer any longer. You can be free."

"Do you have," Hermione released a harsh breath as she glared at him, "ANY idea of what I am?"

Krum nodded his head rapidly, a small smile forming on his face, "Ya. You are a powerful shapeshifter vith form of Smilodon. You are Being built for ice and snow and Bulgarian legends are filled vith stories of your kind." Her glare was replaced with shock. _Another piece to the puzzle it seems_. "That is vhy I am desperate to help you. You are too poverful to be some Veela's pet." He spat out the word with such harshness that she took a step back. The word 'pet' though, renewed her anger full force.

"I am no pet," she seethed, pissed beyond belief that this conversation was even happening.

"No? You vear collar like one. You come vhen called, bow down vhen ordered. You are no pet? Then vhy does she dominate you like one?"

It was at this point that Hermione drew her wand, the blackthorn wand nearly humming in her hands as she pressed the tip against his throat. Krum, for his part, never moved an inch, but she could see a small amount of fear form in his eyes.

"I am no pet." She repeated, a growl forming in the back of her throat, "And she will never treat me like one." Hermione took a step forward, her wand now under his chin, forcing the taller boy to look up. "You want to know why I allow her to dominate me? And yes, I allow her to do it, I am in no way forced," she chuckled harshly. "It is because she proved herself worthy of the position. I love her enough to have challenged her and she completely bested me, forcing me into submission under her."

"You mean fucking you into submission," he spat out only to have her wand jammed further against his neck. Hermione allowed the tip to heat up and saw him grit his teeth as it burned his skin.

She chuckled again, "Why yes, Viktor, that is exactly what I mean. And listen to me when I tell you this," she raised up on the tips of her toes and whispered in his ear, "I enjoyed every. Single. Second of it."

He quickly pushed her away, breathing harshly as he glared at her. Hermione didn't know what possessed her to keep taunting him, but she couldn't help but smirk and add, "And I still do. On a near daily basis."

This seemed to be the end of his patience because as soon as she uttered those words, Krum drew his wand and formed a dueling position. Hermione observed him calmly, the desperation in his eyes, the small beads of sweat forming on his forehead, and the slight shake of his wand as he aimed it towards her. _It's almost as if he doesn't want to be in the position,_ she cocked her head to the side, _then why is he challenging me?_

"Please, Herm-own-ninny, you are deep vithin her clutches. Let me break spell on you, let me show you freedom you deserve."

"Are you jealous?" Hermione cocked her head to the other side, noticing his empty hand clenching tightly with glee ( _An angry opponent makes for a sloppy opponent_ , Moody's words came rushing back to her) "You are, aren't you? You want to be in her place. What, you want me to wear your mark? To warm your bed at night? Or maybe, underneath all that Quidditch Star bravado, you are just a scared little boy who needs a Big, Bad Beast to protect you from all of your enemies."

She quickly dodged a Stupefy and laughed, "Did I hit a nerve, Krum? Tell you a truth you were trying to avoid? Well let me tell you something else. You are never going to replace her. You are not powerful enough, you are not brave enough, and you are definitely not strong enough."

"I vill show you strong," Krum rapidly fired three hexes, each one going for a different part of her body. Hermione rolled her eyes and cast a Protego, only to have her shield shattered completely by the third spell. _Powerful,_ she thought as she fired a quick Stupify and watched as he dodged it. _Fast too. No wonder he was Chosen, but I haven't been training all this time for nothing._

Hermione stumbled to the left, avoiding a bright yellow curse that she had no name for and Krum cast silently, hoping that he would think she had tripped and was off balance. It was just unfortunate that the Seeker merely narrowed his eyes and cast another Stupify that she was barely able to dodge. She silently cast an Expelliarmus as she straightened herself, followed up by urging her magic out to levitate and bind the fool to the ceiling. A smirk emerged on her face as Krum dodged the Disarming spell and fell right into the nearly invisible stream of magic.

Krum's body jerked in midair as he tried to free himself from the magic bindings, but Hermione quickly relieved him of his wand so he had no chance of escape. The Bulgarian glared at her as she twirled the thicker piece of wood around her finger tauntingly.

Hermione chuckled, "Wow, Krum, and here I thought that being a Champion meant you were the best of the best. The smartest, the fastest," a sneer came to her face, "the strongest. Who knew that you could be so easily defeated by a mere Fourth Year? No wonder you were barely able to keep the dragon at bay."

"Herm-own-ninny, listen to me-"

"No, I'm done listening to you," she just kept the snarl from emerging, "Stay away from me and my family and I will forget all about this. Try this stupidity again and I won't hold back next time."

She smirked slightly at his confused expression as she picked up her fallen books, making a great show of placing his wand on the table underneath him. The Kanaima gave a cheeky wave and happily called out "À bientôt, Monsieur Krum!" as she whipped around and away from the levitating Champion.

As soon as she left the library, Hermione's face fell to a scowl and she quickened her pace towards Hogwarts' main entrance. Adrenaline raced through her body from the duel and she desperately needed to get out of the stifling castle and calm down.

 _Guess the essay is going to be a little late,_ she winced slightly as she imagined McGonagall's disappointed face, _here's for hoping she is a little bit understanding of my issue. I just hope Madame Pince didn't catch me fighting Krum or that's another privilege I will lose._

The thought of how much trouble she had gotten in since returning to Hogwarts caused her scowl to deepen and scared several Second Years as they passed by.

A sudden sense of concern filled her mind and she released a frustrated breathe. _Of course, Fleur knows something's wrong. I can't have just one day where everything goes smoothly, can I._ A sudden thought had her stopping on the stairs, wincing slightly at the implementations of it, and an immense feeling of wanting to bang her head against something formed. _She can't know about Krum! What he threatened is grounds for an honor duel. Not that it would be recognized in Britain, of course, but that wouldn't stop her. Shit!_

Hermione hurried towards the door, breathing a small sigh of relief as she stepped out into the chilly air. She quickly changed to her fur, picking up her bag with her teeth, and bounded towards the carriage, intent on dropping the school stuff off and heading to the Forest.

 _I need to calm down before Fleur begins to panic,_ she thought to herself, desperation tinging her actions somewhat. She was lucky that nearly all of Beauxbatons was down in the village as the carriage was completely empty upon her arrival. The less people to know about her 'issues' the better.

As soon as she secured her belongings, the saber tooth bounded back out and straight for the Forest, hoping the quiet of the trees will help calm her down before everyone gets back.

-oOo-

Harry stumbled out of the Shrieking Shack, the Portkey's sudden stop nearly causing him to fall down. Luckily, unlike last time, the Boy-Who-Lived kept his footing and let out a near silent sigh of relief as the world slowly stopped spinning. He hadn't realized how tightly he had been gripping the parchment in his hand until he relaxed and it crinkled upon release. With a wince, Harry smoothed it out to the best of his ability before folding it back up and shoving it into his pocket.

When Silver had given him the letter, Harry had been expecting to sneak out of the castle, under the cover of his Invisibility Cloak, with his friends covering for him if the Old Goat ever asked where he was. To his utter surprise (and extreme disappointment), the day Moonclaw scheduled for him to visit Gringott's turned out to be a Hogsmeade trip. Then it was then just a matter of sneaking into the Shrieking Shack and waiting for the Portkey to transport him.

The goblin that had been hired, Rognok, had been more than helpful (if not rather amused) by his questions and requests. He had received several toothy grins from the Being during the meeting and Fleur had told him that this was a good sign. The goblin also received more than a few Galleons from Harry for each request so that could also be a reason for his good mood.

The first thing they did was begin an Inheritance Test. It was explained to him that this would not only give him his family history, but would also show him if there were any abnormal magical signatures affecting him (i.e. Creature Magiks). The test had only taken a minute to begin, but it had taken nearly an hour to complete. Harry patted the results in his pocket as he made his way back to the village.

While the Test was processing, Rognok went over the Tournament contract and basically explained the rules to him ( _something one of the Officials should've done in the first place,_ he seethed). As it turned out, the contract never specifically mentioned that the Champion had to be over the age of seventeen. Rognok had made some scathing comment about Magicals not knowing how to correctly draw up a contract and Harry had half a mind to agree. It seemed that the Officials had just reused the contract from past Tournaments and never made amends for age or those with Creature blood.

 _Almost as if they WANTED something to happen,_ Harry shook his head.

He also had found out (much to his utter annoyance) that Dumbledore could have called for a redrawing, thus having the Goblet spit out three new Champions from the pool (including the already Chosen Champions if they wanted to resubmit their name). This would have gotten both him and Fleur out of the Tournament all together and thus ending this problem entirely. Harry could have also ( _If I had been informed!_ He felt close to pulling out his hair) asked for a redrawing at any point in time before the First Task. This allowed any Champion to withdraw their name if they suddenly got cold feet.

However, since the First Task had already happened and their scores already processed (even though he and Fleur were fiercely fighting for last place), Harry was stuck as a Fourth Champion. He assumed that Fleur also hadn't realized that they could've done this and promptly decided to not mention the fact to either her or Hermione. _Ron wasn't lying when he said that Sirius named Fleur accurately. I'm glad they're on our side._

Another thing that he had Rognok look for was if there was a clause in the official Tournament rules or contract about the total number of Champions. Something that had been nagging him about the entire thing was the fact that he was the fourth Champion in a TRIwizard Tournament. He knew the 'Tri' part of the name didn't come from the total number of Wizarding Schools in Europe (this was mostly accidental though since he had overheard a Second Year 'Claw talking about Germany's Berlin School of Magiks and had gotten curious). Harry also knew that the name didn't come from the schools that Hogwarts was friendly with (he had intercepted Dumbledore once giving an elderly Asian wizard a tour and was comparing the man's school to Hogwarts).

Alas, in the end Rognok determined that the name was more superficial than anything else and the Tournament could honestly host as many Champions as the Officials desired. The goblin's advice to him so he could survive the blasted thing was to put in the minimal amount of effort to satisfy all the clauses and allow him to keep his Magic. Or, as Harry liked to think about it, keep doing what you're doing and hope for the best. Bloody Fantastic.

By the time the contract had been explained to him, the Inheritance Test had finished. Rognok had placed a single drop onto a blank piece of parchment and Harry had watched as his entire family history filled the page within seconds. It had surprised him a little how far back his family line went (and how enter connected the Potters were). There were many family names that he recognized and some he didn't. _Perhaps Silver will take some time and help me with them._

What truly interested him (and the main purpose he went to the goblin in the first place) was the different magical signatures that were detected. Fleur had been right that the Basilisk had given him Tough Hide (which he was grateful for) and also something, of which Harry had no clue how to pronounce, that sounded to him like a Stunning Glare (he chuckled gently at the stupid name). It basically meant that if he got angry (Rognok emphasized the angry part) enough and glared at somebody, they would be almost frozen in place until he looked away. A milder and less-deadly form of the Basilisk's stare and Harry was glad to have it.

The Test also shown two different fire elemental aspects to him and, after he explained to Rognok what Kornélia had done to him, Harry was told that he more than likely had proficiency for fire type spells and a sort of fire resistance. It was just unfortunate that he didn't know any cool fire spells or he would definitely test them out. He was also informed that the dragon probably relieved him of any aches or pains and was also the reason that he didn't need glasses anymore (not that he didn't already know that).

There were only two other items listed on the Test and both had caused Rognok to growl (when they were explained to Harry, the Boy-Who-Lived had merely sighed). The first was the beginnings of a long term Love Potion, one that was introduced gradually before becoming self-sustaining by feeding off the person's magic. He had been told that there were five stages of this potion and that he was currently on stage one ( _thank Merlin_ ). It took another hour (and several more Galleons) for Gringotts' healer to come in and give him a Flushing potion which had caused him to puke his guts up and then some. Harry hadn't felt any different afterwards, but he figured that since it was at such a low grade that it hadn't had a chance to really affect him yet. He was strongly recommended to keep an eye on all of his food and beverages from now on so that this didn't happen again.

 _Maybe Moody can teach me some charms to detect potions in food,_ Harry stopped for a moment before shrugging. _If not him, then definitely Maya._

The last thing was a little more confusing for both him and the goblin. There were very small traces of some sort of Dark magic within him. The way Rognok explained it was that there had been some Dark enchantment placed on him that had very recently been broken. Apparently the enchantment had been there for so long that it was taking a while for his body to naturally get rid of it all which would explain the strange level. Rognok explained that he thought this was the case because, especially with Dark magic, it was either present or not, there were no 'small traces' like what Harry's Test was showing. Either way, the goblin recommended not worrying about it, especially since Harry reported that he had felt 'lighter' these past couple of weeks.

As he thought about it now, Harry suddenly glowered, a thought popping into his head. _If the Dark Enchantment had been on me for as long as Rognok thought it was, then either Voldemort placed it on me, accidently or on purpose, when he tried to kill me and Dumbledore overlooked it or Dumbledore placed it on me before he left me at the Dursely's. Knowing my dumb luck, the Old Goat probably put it on me in hopes of cutting my magic level. It'll be a surprise for him then when he sees how strong I am. I'll need to show this to Ron and Nev-_

His thoughts were interrupted as he ran into somebody, them both falling down with the impact. Harry rubbed his head gently ( _whoever this is has a hard head_ ) and looked up to see if they were all right. Smirking green eyes stared back at him as a rush of honeysuckle went straight to his head.

"Bonjour, 'arry," the redheaded beauty laughed at him ( _whatever I did, I need to do it again,_ he thought dreamily), "not paying attention?"

Harry stared at the slightly taller girl for a moment, taking in her smooth, pale skin, eyes that shown like emeralds, and the red hair that reminded him of a living flame. He had the sudden urge to run his hands through it repeatedly, knowing instinctively that she would cuddle up against him as he did so. And he definitely wanted to feel her body pressed tightly against his.

A sudden punch to the shoulder sent him falling back to the ground and staring up at the sky, completely confused and disoriented. Harry was bewildered as Amélie's grinning face suddenly appeared overtop him, "Ça va, 'arry?"

Harry gave her a lopsided smile and sat up (the question as to where he was and what he was doing pushed to the back of his mind), "Amélie! When did you get here?"

The Veela laughed and shifted her weight to one foot, folding her arms across her chest, and smirked, "I 'ave been 'ere since morning. When did you get 'ere?"

"I've been here all day too, of course." He leapt up and brushed the snow off of him.

Amélie hummed sarcastically, looking him up and down for a moment before shrugging, "If you say so. I was just on my way back to zee castle, would you care to walk wiz moi?"

"Back to the…?" Harry trailed off as he finally looked about himself, noting the groups of students making their way out of the village and back to Hogwarts. It was only then that he noticed the sun setting over the Forbidden Forest and the enchanted lights coming on. _Must've been at Gringotts longer than I thought._

"Oui, back to zee castle." A scarlet eyebrow rose at his blush. "You know…zee castle we are currently staying at? Your school? Zee one zat will be 'aving dinner in less zan an hour?" Harry merely looked at her.

At his blank expression, Amélie threw up her hands, muttering in French before grabbing ahold of him and dragging him with her. He thought he heard Hermione's name in her ramblings, but she was speaking too fast for him to be sure. Harry felt his blush deepen as they passed by multiple students (all of which stopped to stare and whisper after them).

"So," Amélie gripped his arm suddenly, gaining his attention, " 'ow goes your search for a date to zee Ball?"

"…Uh…" Harry was still reeling over her sudden appearance, how late he had stayed at the bank, and whatever had affected him earlier. How did this girl think he was able to speak about the Yule Ball of all things?

She patted his arm and tsked slightly, "Zat bad, hmm? Poor zing. Zere are too many people zat you cannot choose one? Or you 'ave not tried?"

He looked at his feet and muttered, "The second one."

" 'arry, what is zee matter wiz you? Zee Ball is in two weeks! You are a Red student, non? A member of zee Brave 'ouse, a 'ouse of Lions! Why are you acting like a scared chaton?"

"A what?"

"A kitten, 'arry. You are acting like zee kitten! Afraid of its own shadow and refusing to budge unless its paw is 'eld."

"For your information, I did ask somebody out," Harry ripped his arm away and stopped walking, "and she said no because Cedric Bloody Diggory already asked her!"

He felt himself growl at the Veela's smirk. "And you what? Just gave up after she rejected you? Zat is pitiful."

"I have not given up," he snapped at her.

"Zen what is it? Are you scared?" Amélie leaned forward slightly in her mocking, that damn smirk not leaving her face.

Harry clenched his fists, "I'm not bloody scared!"

"Really?" A sarcastic raise of the eyebrow.

"Really!"

"Zen prove it."

"Fine! Will you go to the Goddamn Yule Ball with me?!" Harry blinked once in shock as his brain registered what his mouth had just said.

He didn't get a chance to retract his question as the Veela's smirk changed into a satisfied grin, "Oui, I will. We shall discuss zee details at a later date, oui?"

"…uh."

"Merci beaucoup for walking me to zee carriage, 'arry," his face turned beat red as she pecked him on the cheek, that smirk of hers returning. "I shall see you at dinner!"

"…uh…"

With a flip of her long hair, Amélie laughed her way into the carriage with Harry staring stupidly after her. It was only after his feet had turned numb from the snow that the bespectacled boy turned and walked the rest of the way to the castle, his mind blank except for the echo of the girl's laugh and a single, repeating thought. _What the bloody hell just happened?_

-xXx-

 **AN:** I don't know, I kinda like the random spots of Harry (and soon to be Ron). Don't get me wrong, I love our girls to death, but after writing them for so many chapters, doing things from a random's perspective is quite lovely.

 **Thanks for reading!**


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

 **AN:** One of these days you people are going to be surprised when I actually post a chapter on time. No excuses, no nothing. Its going to be Monday and there'll be a chapter up and everyone will be like "Woah, what? Shdw finally got her shit together? 'Bout time." I know it, you know it, we all know it. One day, this will happen.

Not this week though...and by the looks of it, not next week either. I'm trying, but even I'm not seeing it happening.

 **Disclaimer:** Its quite unfortunate, but I didn't get a letter in the mail recently saying I own Harry Potter rights. Guess I still can't claim it...

-xXx-

Fleur smiled lazily as she ran her fingers through the sleeping saber's fur. Not a single worry or thought penetrated her waking mind and, for that, she was thankful. For nearly two weeks, she and the Veela had been a bundle of nervous energy, looking behind them as they walked, glaring at anyone who approached, and being wary of anything that could be perceived as a threat. It had taken Hermione pushing them away and towards the village with their Sisters yesterday to show that they had been over-reacting.

And it said something if even the Veela admitted to it.

Of course, they nearly had a panic attack when they had felt Hermione's rage and frustration in the middle of their fun day. It had been several tense minutes before they felt the girl calm down enough that they relaxed. Fleur had concluded that her mate had been asked to the Ball again by either McLaggin (the boy never knew when to give up) or some particularly aggravating student and had been excited to hear the tale.

It did aggravate her slightly that so many students seemed to be suddenly pursuing Hermione. As if the Kanaima would ever go for some weak Magical like those that currently resided in Hogwarts. Just the thought that these students assumed they were worthy enough had Fleur ready to hex all of them into next week. However, Hermione had restricted her to only hexing the more annoying ones.

Imagine her surprise though, when it turned out to be Viktor Krum, her fellow Champion, that had caused her mate so much grief. It was only due to Hermione's quiet question of whether he had been telling the truth about breaking their Bond that had saved him from her anger last night. Fleur and the Veela had spent much of the night reassuring her that nothing could break them apart and from the satisfying ache she felt, Fleur knew she had more than succeeded.

 **Perhaps she will need reassuring tonight,** the Veela purred. Fleur rolled her eyes and snuggled further into the sleeping feline.

The blonde had never considered any of the other Champions as a threat. Harry was damn near her brother-in-law and Fleur had found herself referring to the Boy-Who-Lived as a member of her family more than once. Diggory seemed like the type of person who was 'everybody's friend' and had made an attempt to welcome her and the other Beauxbaton students before the Champions were even Chosen. Even right before he faced his dragon for the First Task, Diggory had turned around, shook everyone's hands, and wished them good luck. The Veela called him a pansy and Fleur was more than willing to agree.

Krum, on the other hand, was a complete mystery. She knew he was a Quidditch Star (Fleur had paid a little bit of attention at the World Cup) and perceived as a teenage heartthrob (the thought made her snicker). However, he was also from Durmstrang, a school known for its teachings in the Dark Arts. She could only guess as to how powerful Krum truly was.

She was not sure whether to be extremely proud of Hermione for being able to take down the Bulgarian Champion with such ease or to be wary of any hidden agendas that the Magical might have. Either way, it was not something that she was going to worry a great deal about. With the holidays officially begun, Fleur planned on spending as much time with Hermione (that the girl's continued detention schedule allowed for) and her Sisters as possible. No thinking on perceived plots, the Second Task, nothing. She was determined to enjoy the Solstice or die trying.

Fleur chuckled gently at the over-exaggerated thought and felt the saber tooth beside her begin to stir. After a quick stretch, the blonde found her arms wrapped tightly around, a now human, Hermione.

The girl blinked up at her with a sleepy grin before burrowing into her neck as Fleur trailed her fingers down her bare back. The blonde asked gently, somewhat hesitate to break the current mood, **"** _Are you ready to get up and face the day, love?_ **"**

" _Do we have to?_ **"** Hermione groaned pitifully, wrapping her up in a tighter embrace that had her chuckling.

" _Unfortunately, yes, we do. I find myself starving this morning and would like to at least go to breakfast before we see what the day has planned for us._ **"**

The brunette was silent for a long moment and Fleur half-wondered if she had fallen asleep again. It was only after she pressed her fingertips into the girl's side that she sprung up and glared down at her.

" _You are very mean,_ **"** Hermione stated as she climbed out of bed and stretched again.

" _The absolute worst._ **"**

A glare over her shoulder had Fleur smirking. The look only lasted a moment before Hermione sighed and began to get dressed, muttering, **"** _You are lucky I love you._ **"**

" _I thank each and every one of my lucky stars that you are my Mate._ **"**

She felt more than saw Hermione's eyes roll and could not help but laugh. Fleur was not sure if it was because of the nearing holiday or yesterday that had her in such a happy mood, but the blonde swore that the inner Veela was singing its happiness.

The teasing continued until they entered Hogwarts and started towards the Great Hall. A few of the other Beauxbaton students had joined them and all were talking about their excitement for the lack of classes and the upcoming Ball. The younger Years were disappointed that they were only allowed to participate in the dance until ten because (if Fleur believed the Weasley Twins) that was when all of the real fun would begin. However, knowing those two, their definition of fun was much different than hers.

Fleur and Hermione sat down beside the younger girl's friends and began to enjoy to morning spread. It was not the first time that Fleur wished Hogwarts did not have as many fattening foods as it did, but she had learned her lesson of voicing her opinions out loud. Some rude Fourth Year Gryffindor had sniped at her when she complained of the lack of fruit and Fleur had had to hold Hermione back from attacking the poor girl.

A hooting above signaled the arrival of the morning mail and Fleur smiled happily as Emmanuel landed in front of her, looking a lot less haggard and a lot more happier than the first time she saw him.

Due to the distance between Hogwarts and the Delacour forest, only a few letters had been exchanged so far. After the first message that gave her permission to use her full strength, her Grandmaman had then sent another informing her that she was pushing to have Maxime removed as Headmistress completely and sent back to France to face trial while another professor (preferably Chez) took her place. Apparently though, while the Ministry agreed wholeheartedly with the action, the other Beaxbaton professors were voicing their complaints and claiming that Maxime had done no wrong. It was turning into a bit of an issue that was forming a mountain of distrust between the Delacour Clan and Beauxbatons as a whole.

The last letter Fleur had sent (of which she had had to use Diane's owl for) had detailed her concerns about the Second Task and the frustration and fear she felt over Hermione's safety. She included as much of the conversation between her and Dumbledore that she could remember and voiced her distrust over the man, hoping that her Grandmaman could relieve some of these worries and help her out.

She was rather disappointed that Régine simply replied that, while she trusted Dumbledore to an extent and considered him her friend, the old Wizard kept his truths close to his chest and did not like to reveal them until he thought that other people were ready. Her Grandmaman advised to do much of the same when dealing with him as, apparently, that made him angry and reveal some of his ideas in a 'very cryptic way that takes more than a few days and multiple people to decipher'. However, despite this, he had proven himself to the older Veela and was one of the main reasons she agreed to allow the Fledglings to venture to Hogwarts.

Her only advice about the next Task was to be patient and trust Hermione (Fleur felt a blush form at the thought of how many people had told her that). The girl was not going to be taken easily and they would either go for another, simpler target (she doubted that) or they would overpower her and use her anyways. Régine informed her that she should calm down and stop worrying about the issue because, either way, she was at an advantage. If the Officials used another target, then she would be able to control the Veela better and think about everything logically. If not, then they always knew where Hermione was anyway and finding the girl would be easy. The only thing Fleur would really have to deal with is the Veela's aberrance to water which should be easy to overcome.

Fleur had rolled her eyes at the part where her grandmaman wrote, **'** _Honestly, it is not like they are going to seriously harm your mate. If anything, she will probably be the most well-protected hostage of them all. Sirens know our plight and, if they truly agreed to be part of the challenge, they will keep her safe. Have faith, my flower._ **'**

It was by the time she reached the end of her Grandmaman's letter and was starting in on her parent's and Gabrielle's that she felt eyes on her. Glancing up, Fleur saw more than a dozen students lower their heads quickly, all whispering back and forth or giggling. Those that had not been looking at her were crowded in groups around a newspaper.

After a moment of observation, Fleur looked towards an exhausted Harry and demanded, "What is it?"

Beside him, Ron winced and tried to slide down in his chair, all while trying to avoid her eyes. Neville, too, had the same reaction, although she immediately saw the newspaper he was trying to hide under the table.

Hermione must have picked up on their surroundings as well and looked towards her friends. She had not been able to question them though when a newspaper landed in front of her causing food to splatter everywhere.

"That's pitiful Beast," Silver ( _no,_ Fleur reminded herself, _here he's Malfoy_ ) sneered at the brunette. Even knowing that the boy was on their side was not enough to stop her attempt to rise and hex him to China. It was only due to Hermione hand gripping her thigh that had Fleur merely settling for a growl and promising the Veela that they would get him back.

"What? Was the Delacour name and wealth not enough for you that you tried to go after somebody greater?" Malfoy quickly glanced towards Fleur, his eyes trying to convey, what she hoped was, an apology. "Makes you wonder how you even tricked your way into that family to begin with. Luckily though, Viktor was smart enough to refuse your advances, but Father's worried you'll go for the rich students next. Perhaps we should call the DMLE to come and investigate."

"Shove off, Malfoy," Ron stood in front of the blonde Slytherin, his face a bright red as he scowled.

Malfoy simply smirked, "Sorry Weasley, I doubt anyone would even WANT to go for you, you pauper."

In the ensuing chaos between most of the present Gryffindors and Slytherins (she had heard that the two Houses were rivals, but this was simply ridiculous), Fleur grabbed up the discarded newspaper and read the front page that had caught everyone's attention. She shook with barely concealed laughter as she heard Hermione's "For the love of…" over her shoulder.

If she were not a Veela (and did not know that true story), Fleur would have gotten blindingly jealous over the photo of her mate and the Bulgarian Champion. The shot simply showed Hermione pressed tightly against Krum, the girl standing on her tiptoes as she whispered in his ear while Krum's face was angled upwards as if to try and get away from her. The magical photo showed the Seeker grabbing Hermione by the waist and attempt to push her away only for Hermione to smirk and cling to him. The picture did not show Hermione's wand at all (which she knew was pressed against Krum's throat) nor did it show the resulting duel between the two. By all accounts, it showed Hermione coming onto the 'Bulgarian Bon-Bon' as the newspaper described him and Krum trying to escape her clutches.

Fleur found it all very amusing.

Probably what was funnier than the actual article (of which she had no interest in reading) was that the Hogwarts and Durmstrang students were so invested in the story that they were nearly to the point of rioting. _How did something like this make national news?_ Fleur questioned as she looked around at everybody in the room. None of the professors seemed to be in hurry to break up the shouting match between the Red and Green houses (that caused her eyes to narrow), the Yellow and Blue houses were watching the fight like a very intense Quidditch match, and the Durmstrang students were gathered around a scowling Krum as he glared at her with fire in his eyes.

Fleur raised an eyebrow at the Bulgarian and watched as the scowl deepened. She half expected him to cross his arms like a petulant child not getting his way, but it seemed he was not quite to that point yet. The blonde could not help but tap her middle finger at her temple and turn it around on him and laugh lightly as he narrowed his eyes. With as much as he claimed to know about Veela, she was happy that he knew one of their biggest insults. There was nothing quite as insulting as telling 'Fuck you' to the inner being (although, they were so proud that any insult would set them off). To non-Veela though, the insult more meant 'Fuck your mental state' or 'Fuck your soul'.

Smirking slightly at the Veela's suggestion, Fleur turned to an exasperated Hermione. The girl had her head propped up on her hand as she stared back forth between the shouting parties. Why everyone seemed so interested in their love life was beyond Fleur, but there was too good of an opportunity to aggravate people that she just could not pass up on.

"Mon amour," she whispered slightly, smiling as the girl immediately turned to her. Without waiting for a response, Fleur gingerly cupped Hermione's chin and pulled her closer, closing her eyes as their lips met. She felt her mate's sudden surprise then delight as she melted into her, lips slowly moving with the same tenderness. Everything else fell away from Fleur's senses as the Veela came to the forefront.

Just as she was urging Hermione's mouth open (her mate's small mewl of approval delighted her to no end), an angry clearing of the throat caught her attention. Fleur reluctantly pulled away (placing a final, lingering kiss before doing so completely) and turned to see most of the Great Hall staring at them in total silence. Harry, Ron, and Malfoy seemed to have forgotten their fake animosity and were staring at them wide-eyed and open mouthed. In fact (Fleur noticed in amusement), most of the present students were staring at them in the same way. Except Krum. His glare had turned murderous which caused Fleur's smirk to widen.

"Is there a need for such a disgusting display this early in the morning?" somebody ground out.

Glancing over her shoulder, Fleur sighed internally as a very angry Snape loomed over them. "I do not know, Professor," she took a delicate sip of her coffee and continued to stare at Krum, her smirk widening as she felt Snape's anger rise, "is zere a need for all zis arguing over what does not concern zem? Personally, I am surprised it 'as taken a member of zee 'ogwarts staff nearly," she subtly glanced over at Harry's watch, "ten minutes to come and break it up. I was starting to get worried zat wands would fly."

"It is Christmas break so I care not what these dunderheads do." She could feel his sneer. "But when I cannot eat my breakfast without getting violently ill, something must be done."

"Zat is not very professional-"

"I do not care." Even though it came out as a near silent snarl, the words still echoed throughout the Great Hall. None of the other students dared even to move and Fleur noted that Neville had gone completely white. The blonde quickly glanced up at the staff table to see what their reaction was and had to hold the Veela back as they saw none of the other professors prepared to come down and stop the man.

Snape continued, "If you do such an act again in public, I will be forced to go to your Headmistress so she can deal with this behavior."

Fleur scoffed, "Zat woman is no longer recognized as zee 'eadmistress by 'er students. We are 'ere on our own and since I am Champion, I was chosen as our leader." A lie, but she doubted any of the other students would refute her claim. The Veela already followed her lead and the other students probably would not care who was in charge, as long as they were still able to be there and have fun.

Before Snape could process the information, Hermione turned around and smiled up cheekily at him, "Besides Professor, you said it yourself. It's Christmas break! Who cares what us 'dunderheads' do?"

"Detention, Granger," he growled out to which Hermione just tsked.

"Awe, sorry Professor, I appear to be all filled up on detentions at the moment. After my last one with McGonagall at the end of February, it seems I'm booked till the end of March with Filch. I may be able to pencil you in around April, but I'm afraid you can't give detention over a holiday break unless I break a major school rule. And informing you that it is, in fact, Christmas break, is not breaking one of the major school rules."

A few brave souls snickered at the brunette and Fleur even had to smile at her cheekiness. No one from the Beauxbatons delegation (and, from the looks of it, nobody from Hogwarts except Slytherin house) particularly liked Snape so anytime they were able to infuriate the man, they never hesitated to do so. Chez was scarier to them when he was in one of his moods (which mainly involved sneak attacks before, during, and after Defense class) so this man was nothing to them.

"Is there a problem here, Severus?" A Scottish lit broke through the silence. McGonagall had come to stand behind Harry and Ron and looked between her and Snape questioningly. Fleur could see the amusement in the older woman's eyes and knew she too enjoyed Hermione's snarky comments.

"I found myself turned off my breakfast by these two and decided to break it up." He drawled.

" _I am turned off my breakfast every time I see your face,_ **"** Amélie muttered. Fleur was surprised to see her friend (when she had gotten there, the blonde had no idea) beside McGonagall. What was the most surprising though was how violently Harry jumped at the closeness of the redhead and how much pleasure that brought to the other Veela.

Most of the Beauxbaton students laughed at the comment, Hermione had quickly covered her mouth to stop her own giggles, and Fleur merely grinned. It was just unfortunate that none of the Hogwarts students (except for Malfoy who had started coughing) seemed to understand the redhead.

"Labine! Detention!" Snape shouted. It seemed that the Wizard's anger had reached a breaking point and Amélie had pushed him over.

"I did not do anyzing, Professor," Amélie gave him her best puppy-dog eyes and pouted slightly. The blonde could hear some hearts breaking in the crowd and could not stop from rolling her eyes at her friend. "I just came down 'ere to eat wiz my friends and mon petit ami," Fleur's eyebrows rose as the redhead looped her arm through Harry's as she talked. "I was simply asking what I 'ad missed since I saw all of zese students surrounding zem and you were yelling at Fleur. Zere was no insult to you."

Fleur folded the paper up and held it out to the Veela, ignoring the nearly bursting Man behind her, "Zeir newspaper was slandering my mate's good name. I figured no one," her eyes glanced quickly at the still sitting Krum, "would be able to say anyzing more if I staked my claim 'ere in zee Great 'all, but zee Potion Master took offence. Despite zat small issue, I believe I got my point across." As she subtly stared down all of the surrounding students, Fleur nodded approvingly as most quickly bowed their heads.

"This is not over, Beast!" Krum shouted, standing up and drawing everyone's attention. The students quickly darted out of his way as he stomped over towards them until he nearly shoved the three boys and McGonagall out of the way to lean across the table.

He hissed at her, "You vill not get away vith this. I VILL stop you if it is last thing I do."

" 'ow about you tell everyone zee true nature be'ind zee photo, non?" Fleur drawled, resting her head upon her hand in a bored fashion. Truthfully, she was struggling to restrain the Veela from wanting to kill the foolish Boy, but the show of calm infuriated him more, "You could say 'ow you zreatened 'er, 'ow she 'ad to defend 'erself from you, and 'ow, when you cast zee first spell, my 'ermione wiped zee floor wiz you in zee end."

She leaned forward, eyes blazing and whispered just loud enough for him to hear (although, with how quiet the Hall was, Fleur was sure everyone overheard), "You are weak, Krum. And you will always be weak, no matter 'ow 'ard you try."

Krum jerked back and quickly summoned his wand. Fleur jumped to her feet, her own wand appearing in hand and had the tip inches from his face just as he pointed his fully at her. They both stared at each other intently, daring the other to even think about casting a spell. This had escalated beyond a simple schoolyard brawl and Fleur swore she could taste death in the air.

Both McGonagall and Snape had drawn their wands and had them resting at their sides, looking intently between them, unsure of what to do. They did not dare to even utter a word, afraid that it would set the two Champions off and, since they were in the crowded Great Hall, an intense duel was the last thing they wanted.

Most of the students had immediately backed off once wands were drawn, giving her and Krum a bit of breathing room. If Fleur was not so intently concentrated on the Magical before her, she could probably have felt their fear, their hesitation. A small argument between Fourth Year Gryffindor and Slytherin students were one thing. That was something they were used to. But, two Magicals from other schools, both being named Champion of a dangerous Tournament, coming to the point of drawing wands was something completely new to them. And they had no clue how to react.

It was not until she appeared behind Krum, her wand pushing into the side of his throat, that Fleur was even aware of Hermione leaving her side. In fact, the girl's sudden appearance had Fleur doing a double take to ensure that her mate was really there.

"Drop it, Krum," the brunette hissed, all signs of the (relatively) calm student gone. Fleur was somewhat shocked to see Krum flinch away from the brunette, but assumed that Hermione had forced some magic into the tip of the wand. The fact that Krum could not take a little pain proved to her how weak the boy was.

Some of the other Bulgarian's scrambling to their feet at the Slytherin table caught Fleur's attention for a moment. She worried very briefly before she saw some of her Sisters take up a stance behind Hermione and Krum, their wands out and pointed at the group.

"I do not zink so," Amélie called out, her wand lazily raised at the nearest Durmstrang, " 'ow about you go and sit back down, oui? No need to escalate zis into a full out brawl in zee middle of zee 'all."

"I agree, Miss Labine," Dumbledore spoke up, making his way to the group. All eyes turned to the Headmaster with the exception of Fleur and Krum, each staring at the other intently. Hermione only spared the Wizard a quick glance before pressing her wand tighter against the Bulgarian's neck, eyes darting up to look at Fleur.

Dumbledore stepped up beside McGonagall and calmly said, "Miss Delacour, if you would please step away from Mr. Krum."

Fleur resisted the urge to roll her eyes ( _as if just by appearing would guarantee that neither Krum nor myself would fire a spell_ ). Apparently Hermione felt the same was as she growled, "Not until he drops his wand."

Dumbledore gave off a sigh and held out his hand, "Mr. Krum, your wand."

"And leave me to them?!" Krum swallowed thickly, his nostrils flaring before his grip tightened, "I think not. They drop vands first!"

"You zreatened us," Fleur hissed, her empty hand curling into claws, "Zere is no way I will lower my wand before you, connard."

Fleur felt a wand dig into her back and watched Hermione flinch as the same probably happened to her. She had completely forgotten about Snape behind her and that had cost her. McGonagall, too, had been forgotten and all respect she had for the Woman fell as she threatened her mate. The Veela growled lowly only to have the wand jab her threateningly.

"They will not harm you, Mr. Krum, but I cannot allow this to continue. A misunderstanding from the newspaper is no reason to be expelled from school this close to graduation, is it?" Dumbledore walked forward slightly, his hand still outstretched.

Hermione started to shout at the Man, but barely got more than "Misund-?!" before her voice dropped to a low grumble as McGonagall stepped closer to her and pushed her wand further into the girl's back. Fleur swallowed thickly and barely contained the sneer as the Veela rushed forward and caused feathers to start peaking along her hairline.

Several of the students around them shifted restlessly and Fleur was not sure if it was because of her showing signs of the Veela or Dumbledore's words that had Krum giving his wand roughly to the Headmaster. Fleur immediately lowered her own wand, knowing that to not do so would probably end badly for her. Hermione too had backed away, shooting a glare over her shoulder at McGonagall as she did so.

After Dumbledore was sure all wands were away, he nodded and smiled at them, "See, there is no need for violence. I am sure that Mrs. Skeeter did not mean for the picture to be taken out of context." It was surprising how quickly all three of them glared at the older man, silently agreeing that he had no clue what was going on and really should stay out of it.

Their looks did not seem to bother him in the slightest as he nodded his head in a grandfatherly fashion, "Yes, no need for any of that. Now, all students should return to their tables and finish their breakfasts. No need to start the day on an empty stomach."

Everybody grumbled but started to disperse. Malfoy sent a quick sneer at them all, but did not say another word. Fleur smirked at the now surly Krum (he had not moved a muscle since his wand was taken from him) and watched as his headmaster came down from the head table, grabbed the boy's wand from Dumbledore, and marched him out of the Hall. The move had all of Durmstrang following their Champion, each shooting glares their way as they passed.

As Durmstrang left, Dumbledore gave her a twinkly-eyed smile and strolled back to the head table, nearly dragging Snape along with him as he asked about some potion. McGonagall whispered into Hermione's ear for a moment and patted her on the shoulder before she too left.

Fleur let out a tense breath as she sat down and gave a small chuckle as she heard Hermione do the same once she returned to her spot. Emmanuel instantly flew down from the rafters and landed in front of the brunette, hooting softly at her for attention. Amélie, herself, was snickering as she sat across from them, pulling a red-faced Harry down beside her.

" _Never do anything halfway, do you Delacour?_ **"** a teasing voice sounded from one of the other Beauxbaton students.

Another voice called out, causing laughter to explode in their ranks, **"** _And here we thought this year would be boring._ **"**

Fleur rolled her eyes good naturedly before looking towards her friend, glancing back and forth between her and Harry expectantly. She needed something to distract her and, since Hermione was busy trying to calm herself with Emmanuel's help, hoped her friend's earlier declaration would do the trick.

Amélie seemed to look at her in confusion before releasing a near silent 'oh' and pointed to the boy, "Zis is 'arry Potter. 'arry, zis is my best friend, Fleur Delacour and 'er mate, Maya."

Fleur barely resisted smacking her forehead as she heard Harry's confused moan. She felt more than heard Hermione's near silent chuckles and rolled her eyes before staring blankly at the redhead.

This seemed to prompt the Veela as she continued, " 'arry asked me to go to zee Ball wiz 'im after a very romantique walk zrough zee snow yesterday." Several Gryffindors overheard the conversation and were now looking towards a thoroughly embarrassed Harry. " 'e was so nervous and sweet zat I could not say 'Non'. I 'ave never experienced somezing so special before." Ron and Neville's mouths had fallen open in complete awe at the Boy-Who-Lived (who was currently trying to disappear under the table). Amélie clapped her hands together and pressed them to her cheeks, looking for all the world like a giddy teenager in love. "I am so 'appy, Fleur, you 'ave no idea! Never 'ave I felt so special when somebody 'as asked me out and I cannot wait for zee Ball to show zis lovely man off."

The redhead looked towards Harry and pulled him closer, "Look at 'ow shy 'e is in front of everyone. So 'umble, so kind. Well, I can assure everyone 'ere zat zis is not zee 'arry Potter zat asked me out yesterday! 'e was a magnifique lion and 'ad my 'eart stuttering wiz 'is fierceness." Amélie finished off this declaration with a loud kiss to the boy's cheek which had his face turning so red, Fleur was afraid that he would spontaneously combust.

Hermione had her head on the table at this point, her shoulders shaking violently with barely contained laughter. Several of the other Beauxbaton students were laughing hysterically (some had tears streaming down their cheeks) while others grinned cheekily at the pair. None of that compared to the looks of complete and total awe on the entirety of Gryffindor House (and several of the other Houses that had overheard) and it was that that set Fleur off.

" _You bribed him!_ **"** Fleur exclaimed, all thoughts of Krum completely vanishing at this point (for which, she was thankful for).

Amélie opened her mouth in shock and looked her up and down in mock disgust, **"** _I. Did. Not!_ **"**

" _You coerced him in some way, then! Look! He is so embarrassed. None of that happened!_ **"** The comment was met with Hermione snorting in laughter and Amélie giving off an undignified squawk.

" _Fleur, never have I been more shocked at your behavior._ **"** The redhead tugged Harry even tighter against her which caused a scared look to appear on his face. **"** _We are in love!_ **"**

" _I am sure you will both ride out into the sunset on a white steed,_ **"** Fleur sneered teasingly before laughing at the dreamy look on Amélie's face.

Hermione looked up and smile brightly at the boy, "Harry, I have no idea why you asked her, but good luck. You're going to need it."

The bespectacled boy never had a chance to respond as both his friends immediately started grilling him for details and (to which Fleur shook her head at) wanting help with finding their own dates. Amélie loosened her grip a little and it amused the blonde to no end how Harry unconsciously wrapped his, now free, arm around the Veela's waist. From the triumphant smirk on the redhead's face, Fleur knew that this was her plan all along.

" _Thank you, Amélie,_ **"** Hermione said softly, causing Fleur to look away from the slowly relaxing Hogwarts students and to her mate. The Veela in question just smiled and began to enjoy her breakfast. Their surroundings soon relaxed and Fleur had a brief moment where she wondered if a few minutes ago even happened or if she had just dreamed it.

Her thoughts had drifted to what her and Hermione's own plans would be for the Ball. Although, they did not stay there long as her mate placed a lingering kiss against her cheek and rose from the table. At her questioning look, Hermione just shrugged, **"** _I was unable to finish my paper for McGonagall yesterday so I am heading to the library._ **"**

Fleur frowned at the thought of the older woman, remembering how she had her mate at wand point moments earlier. The brunette rolled her eyes at her, **"** _It was nothing, Fleur, honestly. She even apologized for drawing her wand and explained that she had to do it. Truthfully, I expected either that to happen or Dumbledore to summon all our wands away. There is no need to get mad at the woman._ **"**

" _If you say so,_ **"** Fleur looked up at the girl's smiling face, **"** _Just be careful, yes?_ **"**

Hermione rolled her eyes once more and kissed her again. **"** _Always,_ **"** she whispered before turning to smirk at Harry. He reddened under her gaze and with a final laugh, Hermione walked out of the Hall.

Fleur's eyes followed her until the door shut and blocked her view. It was only then that she turned to her friend and leaned forward to ask, **"** _What is the real story behind him asking you? Seriously, you pressured him, right?_ **"**

-oOo-

Hermione found her library time being once more disturbed, but this time it was in the form of an amusing blonde and a shy redhead rather than an angry Bulgarian. She had barely taken a step inside the room when an excited shout of 'Maya!' had the librarian yelling at them before she was even able to make a sound. What Madame Pince was doing in the library (let alone the two younger girls) this early in the morning was beyond her, but Hermione apologized all the same and made her way over to Luna and Ginny.

Since then, the brunette hadn't had a chance to even look at her Transfiguration essay, let alone work on it, as Luna began to rapid fire ask her about what had happened that 'caused the Nargles and Wrackspurts to rush into the Great Hall like Ronald during Halloween Feast'.

Once Hermione explained the almost-fight and told them the true story behind the picture, Ginny surprised them all by saying, "Well of course he was going to attack Fleur. I'm just surprised he did it in front of so many witnesses. Rumor has it that Krum is known to get angry if he doesn't get his way. A bit of temper on that one."

As she processed Hermione's confusion and Luna's beaming gaze, Ginny turned bashful once more and muttered, "What? This just proves that the rumor is true."

"Wait, you mean Krum has anger issues?" Hermione shook her head when the girl nodded, "No wonder Kakaroff basically bows at his feet and all of the other students give him plenty of room. Probably afraid to get on his bad side if they sneeze wrong. I almost feel bad for the Headmaster since he was the one to drag the boy away."

"I'd just be careful, Maya," Ginny continued, "He might go after Fleur now since she made him look bad in front of everybody."

Hermione gave her a warm smile, "I'll make sure to tell her that."

The brunette had a brief thought of how much the Weasley girl has changed since the World Cup. The dark aura that she had sensed was nearly gone and Ginny seemed to be opening up more and speaking her mind. Whereas before, the girl would clam up and just kind of observe everyone, now she was more open and would actually look you in the eye as you spoke. Hermione couldn't believe that just a month around the Veela's positive influence (of which, Fleur had tried to make sure Ginny was under at every meal at the very least) had brought about such a drastic change. From Luna's bright and happy demeanor, she was also thankful for the change in her friend.

"So," Hermione cleared her throat, anxious to forget all about Krum and any other bad thoughts, "do either of you have a date for the Ball?"

"We are going together," Luna looped her arm with Ginny's as the redhead blushed brightly. Even through her embarrassment, Hermione could just make out a grin threatening to form on the girl's face.

Hermione smiled, "Oh yea? That's great! I'm happy for you guys."

"Yea, I didn't want to go with…an-anyone," the brunette wondered briefly what Ginny stuttered over, "and told Luna my issue so she suggested we go together. I would rather spend the night with my friend anyways."

"I AM much better company," the two girls shared a smile which caused Hermione to chuckle.

Ginny continued, "I can't wait, if I'm honest. Mum bought me a new set of dress robes for the Ball. Even though I didn't get asked by who she was hoping for, I'm still pretty excited."

"As you should be," Hermione hesitated a bit before leaning forward and asking, "Who did she want to ask you?"

Ginny briefly looked at a suddenly blank-faced Luna and muttered, "Harry."

Hermione met Luna's intense gaze and understood what the girl was trying to tell her. 'Even though she may seem better, Ginny's not her normal self yet. Be careful.'

"Did…did you want him to ask you?" Hermione tried to tread as carefully as she could. If everyone was right and Ginny really was being influenced by potions, then this simple question could undo everyone's hard work. It was unfortunate, but she needed to know the answer.

Ginny frowned slightly before shrugging, "I'm not really sure. A part of me wants him to…just…sweep me off my feet, ya know? Like, I still have that image of him kneeling beside me with the Sword of Gryffindor in one hand, his wand in the other, and the dead basilisk behind him." She got this dreamy look in her eye and Hermione winced internally. It only lasted for a moment before Ginny sighed, "But another part of me is glad he didn't. Harry's a nice guy and all, but there's just something about him that has lost all of his…handsomeness to me. Like, when I look at him now, I don't see the 'Boy-Who-Lived', defeater of You-Know-Who, and my savior anymore. I just see Harry, fellow Gryffindor and best friend of my brother's. And seeing how he and Ron interacts shows that they have more in common than I first realized," she scrunched her nose up. "It would almost be like dating my brother, I'm afraid."

Hermione nodded, "You lost your hero-worship of him."

"Yea, I think. He just seems like the rest of the dumb boys now," they all shared a laugh before Ginny fell silent, her face falling slightly. "I told my mum that in my last letter and she didn't think it was as funny as we did. She said that I shouldn't let the fact that he acts like a normal boy fool me. Harry is a true hero and wouldn't hesitate to prove it. The fact that he entered this Tournament should show me how heroic he really is."

The girl looked up at her, eyes pleading as she nearly muttered, "But he didn't enter the Tournament, did he. Harry was entered by somebody else and forced to compete against his will."

"Yes and he's bloody terrified."

Ginny smiled sadly at her, "I knew Mum was wrong. Harry's no hero, just a scared kid who keeps getting put in impossible situations and gets lucky. I'm glad I told her that she was wrong, even if I got a Howler in return."

Hermione couldn't help but reach across the table and grab hold of Ginny's hands, gripping them gently as she said, "I'm so proud of you for standing up to your mum, Ginny. I know how hard it is to have your parents disappointed in you, afraid that something will happen and they will never forgive you, afraid they will leave you." The brunette had to blink back tears as old wounds were suddenly re-opened. She shook her head and ignored the girl's confused look as she continued, "But you have to find your own happiness, alright? Even if that is different than what your parents originally wanted." She gave a final squeeze and let go, leaning back while looking Ginny in the eye, "Just know that you're never alone. Your friends will always be there to help you. All you need to do is ask."

Ginny blinked once at her ( _probably wondering why this near stranger made such a bold statement,_ Hermione sighed) and tuned to Luna in question. The blonde simply leaned into her friend, patting the girl's arm as she did so, and turned to Hermione, "That must've been hard to say, Maya, but there is no need to worry. We won't let Ginny suffer like you did if things come to that."

Hermione could only smile in response, too emotional to continue talking about it. She was lucky that Ginny understood that there was something more going on as she didn't continue the conversation. Instead, she began talking about Luna's Fairy Circle and asked if Hermione had ever been there. Glad for the change in pace, Hermione laughingly told her that she had come sprinting through it without being invited (Fleur had told her that it was rude to not be invited into a Circle and that she had been lucky that Luna was so forgiving) and expressed a desire to go back one day. The question had brought a thought to her mind and Hermione groaned as she realized she had forgotten to ask Luna bout the way of Fae magic.

All she was able to get out was 'Hey Luna…' before the blonde quickly shook her head. At her confused look, Luna sighed, "I know what you are going to ask and I am afraid that the question is no, I cannot teach you to feel the Magic surrounding us."

Ginny looked at her friend in confusion, "Why not? Isn't that what you've been trying to teach me?"

"Well, yes, I suppose it is," Luna tapped her finger to her chin, looking up in the air as if something were suddenly hovering above them. After it appeared that she would not continue, Ginny tapped her on the arm to gain her attention.

Luna smiled airily at them, looked up once more at whatever she was examining, and continued, "I cannot teach Maya because she already has her own way of doing Magic. Her goblet is already full in a way. If I were to show her how to use the Magic that surrounds us, she would have to forget everything she's already learned. It's more trouble than it's worth and she will be fine without the skill."

"Wha-?" Hermione never got to question the statement before Luna interrupted her.

"You've tried to teach Fleur how to feel her own magic, correct? How to push it out through the wand and force it to do whatever it is you want? But she failed, right? Couldn't understand it?" Hermione silently nodded, wondering briefly how Luna knew how she used Magic since she had never explained it to the blonde. "That is because she is already used to the incantation way. Fleur is used to using words and motions to urge Magic out. The same could be said with you. You know how to push your Magic out without any silly wand waving and you probably find it all useless at this point." Another nod of the head. "You would find the same with asking the Magic that surrounds you. Why would you ask another thing for use of its Magic when you can just use your own for anything you want?"

"Why do you rely so much on other things giving you Magic, then?" Hermione cocked her head to the side. With the way Luna explained it to her, the whole thing did seem like a rather silly way of performing spells.

Luna laughed at her, "I don't. At least, not all the time. I too use the silly wand waving technique because it is easier to repay my body with food and sleep than it is to repay another being with something of their own choosing. It is only when I need something that is beyond my power to do, that I ask for the surrounding area's help."

"I'm confused," the brunette furrowed her brow, "if you don't ask other's for Magic unless forced to, why did you use it so much that day?"

"Because it was my mother's Circle and her mother's before her and so on and so forth. The magic in a Fairy Circle is built up to the point that it gladly allows the Fae within it to use its magic. The only thing we have to do is maintain the Circle so it never dies and it allows us to use any excess Magic that it has."

Hermione processed this for a moment before finally crossing her arms and frowning. "I'm still confused," she muttered while wondering if Pince could direct her to any books on Fae Folk.

Luna laughed at her one more time, "Then just use the common explanation for everything in our World. It's magic." Even Ginny laughed at the brunette's pouting face.

They were only silent for a moment before Luna leaned forward, her face oddly serious. "I will tell you something though," she began, "Magic is influenced by the user's emotional state. If there is something that is bothering the person or they have too many stresses in their life, their magic won't cooperate as well, no matter what method they use."

Hermione narrowed her eyes in confusion before asking slowly, "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I want you to know the reason behind why I am giving you this command. Remember when Magic calmed you down? Helped you remember a bit about your past? You owe Magic a favor and I am now telling you what that favor is. Do not ask why this is requested of you, just know that it is."

She couldn't help but swallow nervously, looking around to try and find the messenger that had obviously came to Luna to deliver this request. When all that she saw or sensed was rows and rows of book, Hermione looked back to the blonde and asked, "What is this favor?"

When Luna smiled reassuringly, Hermione felt herself relax a bit. _It's obviously not too bad if Luna is this happy about it._ This thought lasted for all of about five seconds while Luna explained what was expected of her.

"Magic wants you to talk to Hagrid before the New Year is upon us. It wants you to hear what he has to say."

-xXx-

 **AN:** Fun fact! That last part I've had to of had in like a dozen different chapters by now. Just none of them felt right so they always ended up getting deleted. So happy to finally have it done so some of the real fun can begin.

 **Thanks for reading!**


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

 **AN:** There we go. Update on a Monday, just like it should be. Unfortunately not much happens in this chapter (except a really important conversation that I needed to have a while ago) so I apologize if its boring in anyway. I'm also jumping forward in time so we're not taking forever (even though some of you have expressed wants for MORE information). If anything is confusing or disorientating in anyway, like always, PM me or leave a review and I'll try and clear it up for you.

 **Disclaimer:** Same ole, same ole. I don't Harry Potter or any of the locations, characters, universe, names, etc.

-xXx-

" _Are you sure you want to do this?_ **"**

"…"

" _You do not have to talk to him if you do not want to. We can just go, forget about the whole thing._ **"**

Hermione shook her head slightly and looked into worried blue eyes, **"** _I have to do this. Luna said that…well…I am guessing the Universe dictated me to talk to him and I cannot say no to the Universe._ **"**

Fleur scoffed, **"** _I do not believe that. You always have a choice._ **"**

" _I did, but my choice was back when I ran through her Circle and refused to calm down. This is my payment for that choice. Besides,_ **"** Hermione tried to smile, but it felt more like a grimace on her face, **"** _were you not the one that said Fae folk operate mainly on a different plane? That they know more about our surroundings and way of life than any other Being?_ **"** At the blonde's nod, she continued, **"** _I have no reason to doubt Luna. She has never lied to me yet. And, if this is just her way of getting me to talk to him, then I accept that too. I have to get this off my chest. I have to find out the truth._ **"**

" _Then I will be right here with you._ **"** Fleur drew her into a tight hug before pushing her slightly to the wooden door.

Hermione drew her wool cloak around her tighter, a sudden burst of wind causing the thick snowflakes to swirl around them. She had forgotten how cold Christmas was this far north and it wasn't the first time that she wished she was back in her forest in France where it snowed only occasionally and an inch at most when it did.

Although, she had to admit, running through the near foot of snow on the ground while in her fur was probably the most fun she had ever had. There was just something about feeling the snow against her skin, underneath her paws, and knowing that she could bound through it with such-

" _Maya,_ **"** Fleur's voice broke through her thoughts, the amused lit making her blush, **"** _you are stalling._ **"**

"Am not," she muttered, staring up at the solid wooden door in trepidation. Hermione could hear the half-Giant move within the hut, muttering to himself while his dog panted heavily somewhere near the back. She could smell the fire and barely hear the water begin to boil. _Probably about to have a cuppa,_ she shifted restlessly.

A body pressed itself against her back, the warmth from her mate offering more comfort than she realized she needed. Fleur's hand reached down to gently grab her wrist before bringing it up before them to hover in front of the door.

" _You need to knock,_ **"** the blonde whispered in her ear, moving them forward until Hermione's palm rested against the wood. Fleur's hand was a comforting presence around her wrist and she used the warmth to focus on the task she was facing.

Hermione could almost hear the minutes tick by as they stood there. Hagrid was now humming to himself, obviously happy in whatever task he was doing, and she couldn't help but feel slightly envious of him. He had not a care in the world, safe and warm inside his home, while she was outside, fighting against everything that she was, everything that made her her, to knock on a damn door.

She couldn't take it anymore. The brunette closed her eyes and bowed her head, whimpering slightly as Fleur immediately turned her around and pulled her into a tight embrace. Hermione clung to her mate like a lifeline, trying to fight the tears that were threatening to form while she berated herself over and over again for not being able to perform such a simple task.

" _It will be alright, my love,_ **"** Fleur cooed into her hair, **"** _We do not have to do this tonight._ **"**

Hermione shook her head, mumbling into the older girl's shoulder, **"** _You have said that for nearly two weeks, now. The Ball is tomorrow and I do not want to have to deal with this after that._ **"** She pulled back slightly, **"** _I want to do this tonight. I need to._ **"**

Fleur looked at her for a moment before nodding her head, smiling sadly as she glanced at the door. **"** _We will do it together then._ **"** Hermione nodded, allowing herself to be turned around and face the piece of wood that was beginning to haunt her dreams.

The brunette closed her eyes tightly as Fleur reached down once more, only this time their fingers laced together. She gripped the long fingers tightly as their arms rose in unison before stopping, hovering in front of the door. Fleur wrapped her other arm around her waist, but whether it was to comfort her or to keep her standing, Hermione had no clue.

" _One,_ **"** Fleur said softly, her warm breath rushing past the shell of Hermione's ear. Her breathing increased to the point she felt like she was going to hyperventilate and Hermione could feel herself shaking slightly. She clenched her teeth together tightly and leaned back into Fleur.

The longer she stood there, the more Hermione started getting angry with herself. How could she be scared over some dumb door? She was Hermione Delacour; a Kanaima with the form of a saber tooth fucking tiger, a true Gryffindor at heart, not some weak kitten that would run and hide at the first sign of trouble. She had faced down a Cerberus when she was twelve, survived on the streets alone for half a year, fought toe-to-toe with one of the best British Aurors there ever was. She had taken a Veela as a mate for Merlin's sake.

No piece of wood was going to intermediate her.

" _Two._ **"**

She wasn't sure when it happened, but Hermione found herself glaring at the door, preparing herself to take on the world if she had to. Her body was as tense as it got when she was in the middle of a duel and all of her focus was on the object before her. The answers to all of her questions lay behind it and she wasn't about to let it stop her now. Not when she was this close.

"Three," Hermione hissed, nearly lurching forward to hammer on the door with their knuckles. She felt a quick kiss being pressed to her curls and smiled to herself. Her body relaxed to the point she was sagging against Fleur, relief flooding her system as she realized that she had finally done it. She finally knocked on the door.

The wooden door that she had been staring at for two weeks. The piece of wood that has been haunting her night and day to the point that she was afraid to sleep.

Hermione felt herself freeze, the baying of the bloodhound finally penetrating her thoughts, _the door to Hagrid's hut._

As if thinking of him summoned the Man, Hagrid swung the door open, his face bright and cheerful until he saw who it was that had knocked. Upon looking at them, Hagrid nearly froze, his face contorting to one of confusion and some other emotion that Hermione couldn't place.

Not that she was faring any better.

Hermione was caught in a never-ending loop of first wanting to attack the Man, then remembering why she was there and runaway, and finally remembering her faded memories and grab him up in a hug and never let go. Her body shook slightly from all of the overwhelming emotions and if it wasn't for the tight grip Fleur had on her, she wasn't sure what she would do.

"Bonsoir, Monsieur 'agrid," Fleur called out. _Bless you, Fleur,_ Hermione faintly thought, _if you weren't here, Hagrid and me would probably be staring at each other till spring came_.

"Do you mind if we come in? It is razer cold out 'ere and we wanted to discuss somezing wiz you." The hand gripping her's squeezed briefly ( _probably so Fleur knows I'm still_ conscious) and the brunette half-consciously squeezed back.

Hagrid blinked at them for a moment before shaking his head slightly and stepped back, motioning into the hut, "O' course. Come in. I was just about to make meself a cup o' tea, woulda both like one?"

Hermione faintly heard Fleur's positive reply as they entered the hut (she was sure that Fleur had to have drug her in because her feet were entirely unresponsive). Instead, she was focused entirely on the baying bloodhound in front of her, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end with each mighty woof. The dog ( _Fang?_ She wondered briefly) was barking and growling at her from his spot before the fire. He didn't seem anxious to move towards her, but it was made sure that she knew how much he didn't like her being there.

"Fang, stop that," Hagrid told the dog, "they're our guests tonight. No need for all the barkin'." He walked towards the dog and shooed him away so he could reach the now whistling tea kettle.

Hermione felt herself being sat down as she tried to focus on the gentle touches from Fleur. Her mind was still an emotion rollercoaster and even she was half afraid that she would bolt given the opportunity. Of course, the large dog wasn't helping. The brunette's eyes remained on the animal, watching as he kept shooting her glances as he laid back down when Hagrid moved away. It was only when a large mug was placed before her that Hermione snapped her eyes back to the half-Giant.

Hagrid shot her a shy glance as he sat down, fiddling with his mug handle, and muttered, "Sorry 'bout him. Forgot how afraid of dogs you were."

She had no clue how to respond to that. Her emotions were waging an intense war inside of her and it was leaving her confused and disoriented. If it wasn't for Fleur beginning a random conversation about something (Hermione thought her mate was talking about Hagrid's class, but wasn't sure), the silence around them would be deafening.

"I'm sorry!"

Hermione felt herself blush as both of the other occupants of the hut looked at her in question (she thought Fleur had a small smile on her face, but she ducked her head to fast to see). It was her turn to fiddle with the mug, moving it before her as she tried to process what she blurted out. When she glanced up to see Hagrid's reaction, the brunette saw so much hope and happiness in his eyes that she smiled a little and decided it was time to face reality.

"I'm so sorry, Hagrid," she said again, looking at her hands as she was unable to meet his eyes, "I'm sorry for attacking you that day and for being so mean every day after. I…I know I probably don't deserve your forgiveness, but…but tell me what I can do to make it up to you and I'll do it. In a heartbeat!" She muttered out, more to herself than anyone else, "I can't take feeling like this anymore."

A sniffling sound had Hermione snapping her head up in shock. The large Man before her had tears streaming down his cheek and into his beard, a large smile never leaving his face. She knew that Hagrid was always a bit emotional, but she never thought that such a simple apology would cause him to tear up.

Hagrid shook her head, "There's no need for that, Miss Hermione. Like I told Dumbledore and all them other teachers, you did nothin' wrong. I knew that, when you finally remembered what you were, you would come after me and then after that you would come here for answers. I'm jus' happy that you are safe and well, everythin' else don't matter."

" 'ow did you know zis, Monsieur 'agrid?" Fleur questioned, "I remember you being quite adamant about 'er innocence, but I never did know why."

"Please, jus' Hagrid is fine. None of that Mister stuff," he waved a hand in the air dismissively before wiping his tears away. Hagrid shot her a smile before turning to Fleur, "And I knew that she woulda gone after me like she did 'cause that's all she did for the year she was here."

Hermione furrowed her brow in confusion, trying to search her spotty memories for her time at Hogwarts. She was so busy concentrating, in fact, that she missed a small exchange between Fleur and Hagrid that left them both chuckling.

"I don't remember being at Hogwarts before my First Year," she finally muttered, catching Hagrid's eyes and shaking her head, "Are you sure I was here a year?"

He nodded, "As sure as I'm sittin' here. Saw you every day, whether it be as the human or the cat, and every day you would hide behin' McGonagall and squeak out a roar." He leaned back with a smile on his face and chuckled out, "Cutest thing I ever did hear."

"Wait, McGonagall?" Now she was sure he wasn't telling the truth. There was no way she wouldn't remember being with McGonagall nor would her favorite professor keep something like that from her.

"Aye, McGonagall. You took a likin' to her almost immediately due to her Animagus form bein' a cat. She was near hysterical when Dumbledore said you had to be sent away. Wouldn' leave her quarters for a long time if I remember right. At least, not until the new school year began."

Hermione had her head in her hands at this point, confusion overwhelming her completely. It was almost like being told a story, one that you couldn't believe to be true, yet everyone was saying it was. The fact that it was about her caused Hermione's head to spin, especially when she started re-examining all of her and McGonagall's interactions.

She remembered how safe she had felt with the older Witch when she had come to the Granger's house and told them that she was a witch. It had almost been like seeing a favorite aunt or grandmother after an extremely long time apart. Hermione had chalked it up to the excitement of discovering that she was different, but now she wasn't sure.

Even during her First Year, McGonagall had gone out of her way to make sure Hermione was happy, was safe. She remembered how much comfort the professor had given to her when she had gone to her office, bawling about how everyone in school hated her. Now that she thought about it, Hermione could also remember the immense sadness and near-desperation the woman had when she had said that she wanted to return to the Granger's. How being a witch wasn't for her. If it hadn't been for McGonagall convincing her to stay until Christmas, Hermione would've left Hogwarts well before Halloween.

Every interaction she had ever had, every conversation, every complaint, even every glance between the two now took on an entirely new aspect to her. Whereas before she saw their relationship as a professor and her favorite student, now Hermione wasn't sure if it wasn't more like a mother and daughter one.

She had so many questions swirling inside of her head and Hermione briefly thought about rushing out of the hut and to McGonagall's office, hoping the woman would tell her the truth about everything. However, she needed to know if her memories were even accurate to begin with and those answers lied with the Man before her.

"Please, Hagrid," She fully looked at him, her eyes narrowing in determination, "start from the beginning. I want…no, I need to know everything that happened. I remember how I got put in that…cage, and how you played some game with those people to get me out, but after that, it is completely blank."

Hagrid took a drink of his tea, his eyes filling with so much anger that Hermione jerked back slightly. She nearly drew her wand in defense on instinct, but Fleur's tight grip on her caused her to stop.

"I shoulda gone back there and beat those men to a pulp," he finally grumbled as he stared into the fire intently. He took another gulp of tea and shook his head, "No, they weren' men, they were cowards. They were weak and knew they were weak, so they locked up Beings and creatures to make themselves seem strong."

Fleur asked softly, "Who were zey?"

"They were a group that called themselves the Tralfamador Brothers. Acted as a circus to amuse Muggles with the creatures they caught. Pretty famous up North before they came to Britain and got shut down. I still wish I had been able to go back and help more o' them poor things."

"I do not understand." Fleur looked back and forth between them, "what did zese people do?"

Hermione furrowed her brow, "They trapped Beings and creatures, kept them in cages and barely fed them." As she thought of that time (a time she had, admittedly, been trying to forget again) more details became clearer. "There were always people there, looking at us, taking pictures. There was this big red structure, probably a tent if they were posing as a circus." Hagrid nodded at her and she continued, "I remember my dame being taken there once, but I don't remember if she ever said what they did. I do remember there was always laughter, some screams that scared me, but nothing more."

"I wish you didn' remember any of that time," Hagrid gruffed. "When I got you, you were nothin' but skin and bones and you could barely stand more than a few minutes. To this day, I have no clue what made me go to that awful place, or really what made me bet Fluffy to win you, but I'll never regret it. Comin' back here and seein' you so weak broke me heart. Of course, not that you really cared about that." He chuckled sadly, "You hated me from the moment you were put in me arms to the time I let you down after I Portkeyed back. Hid under me bed and refused to move from the spot. Refused to eat too, which was what had me worried enough to contact Dumbledore."

"Dumbledore?"

"Aye, Dumbledore. I reckon he's the one who got ahold of McGonagall 'cause they both came down here within an hour. Told 'em that I had won you in a bet and made some sort of promise to keep you safe, but you wouldn' eat and kept tryin' to attack me. Had me all worried and-"

"Wait," Hermione interrupted, shaking her head in confusion, "A promise? What promise?"

"Dumbledore asked me the exact same thing," Hagrid scratched at his beard as he thought. "It's still hard to explain, even after all these years. It was almost like I lost control of meself as soon as I came near your cage. Everythin' went…strange…almost like I was just watchin' meself move, but wasn' in control. Images started flashin' through me mind, of me life, me care for the Forest Beings, of Fluffy.

A moment later, I heard meself make a simple bet with the ringleader over some game I never even heard of before. If I won, I took you home with me and if he won, he could add young Fluffy to his collection. O'course, he agreed," Hagrid gruffed, "probably never even seen a Cerberus before. It was odd playin' the game though. It was almost like I knew exactly what dice he had and if he were lyin' or not. Actually got accused of cheatin' when I won so fast."

He shook his head before smiling sadly at her, "Right after he agreed to honor the bet, I heard a voice say in me head 'Promise, you'll take care of her. Promise she will be safe.' It was like this pressure in me head that wouldn' go away until I agreed. That was when you were placed in me arms and I Portkeyed back."

Hermione sat in silence, pondering what it all meant. Could this be the power that Clara spoke of so long ago? The power of compulsion that still eluded her? _If so,_ she chewed on her lip¸ _then that would mean that my mother knew what she was doing. That she willingly gave me up. And, in the process, broke one of the most important rules to our species._

Hagrid's chuckle broke her out of her thoughts, "Dumbledore had near the same expression on his face. I'm guessing you have no clue what it was either?" She quickly shook her head, not wanting to give the Man any information. He sighed and shrugged, "Oh well. Reckon it will always remain a mystery, then."

"I am still curious as to what 'appened zat led to Maya being wiz McGonagall," Fleur spoke gently, the blonde's thumb gently running over her knuckles. Hermione's nerves were nearly shot and she didn't know how much more information she could take so she was thankful for her mate's encouragement of the story.

"Oh, that's easy. When Dumbledore and her came here, I explained the issue, showed them where you was hidin', and McGonagall turned to a cat and went under the bed to talk to you. Never really knew what was fully discussed between you both, but a moment later she walked back out with you followin' closely behind. She said somethin' else to you before turnin' back and started explainin' what was wrong. Basically said that you missed your mum and thought I had stolen you from her. Said how much you wanted to go back.

You can't imagine how shocked we all were when you climbed in her lap and turned into a lil' girl while she was in the middle of tellin' us this. Stopped us all dead in our tracks." Hagrid chuckled and even Hermione cracked a smile, imagining the looks of utter shock on the three adult faces. "McGonagall asked you something, but you just kinda blinked up at her, not understandin' a single word. Gave us all a fright though when you suddenly changed back when Dumbledore brought out his wand to examine you. Puffed out all your fur and squeaked out the tiniest roar I ever did hear. We all reckoned you had a bad time with Magic users and didn' know that we weren' about to hurt you. After that, they took you into the castle and you refused to come anywhere near me. McGonagall would give me updates every once in a while, but since you were near attached to her at the hip, it made it hard to do."

Hermione rubbed her face hard, trying to get rid of the weariness she felt as she processed all of the information. She couldn't believe how wrong she had been when she had attacked Hagrid. Everyone had been right. How could the gentle giant have done something as evil as stealing a cub away from her mother? However, the fact that it had (more than likely) been because of her own dame pushing her away wasn't something that had crossed her mind. Hermione could clearly remember the panther roaring after her in sorrow, right?

"I'm sorry, Hagrid," she felt she had to repeat it again, "I rushed into everything without even stopping to think there was another side. As soon as I saw you, I assumed that you were the reason why I was taken and I never considered anything else. How could you forgive me for that?"

"Miss Hermione, like I told you," he gave her a heartwarming smile, "I don't blame you. I knew it was going to happen, I had prepared for it to happen. You did nothin' wrong and I will keep repeatin' that until you believe me."

She gave him a watery smile in return, not trusting her voice at the moment. Emotions were running high and she really needed to get out of the hut before she had a full-fledged meltdown.

"I 'ave one more question." _Apparently Fleur doesn't feel the same way,_ Hermione winced slightly.

Fleur squeezed her hand briefly before continuing, "You said zat Maya was only in zee castle for a year. Why did she leave?"

Hagrid's face fell as he looked at them both. "I don't know the answer to that. All I know is something happened and there was a big commotion involving some parents that had Dumbledore sending you away. I was told that you were going to have a memory charm placed on you so that you didn' remember anythin' about Hogwarts. It was only after seeing you in your Firs' Year that I realized he also stopped you from changin' your form. Me and McGonagall both yelled at him for that."

"Was he ever going to get rid of the blocker?" Hermione asked in a small voice, the familiar memory of the burning causing her wrist to ache. At the shrug of his shoulders, the ache intensified.

The silence that was left didn't last long as Fleur stood and said, "Zank you for your 'elp, 'agrid," Hermione stood at the slight tug of her hand "I cannot tell you 'ow 'elpful zis 'as been. If zere is anyzing zat you ever need or if zere is some way zat we can repay zis debt, please, let us know."

Hagrid waved his hand dismissively as he stood up as well, "There's no debt. Not from this and not from before. I'm just so happy to see you alive and healthy. That's all I ever wanted."

Hermione surprised everyone in the room (herself included) when she let go of Fleur and threw her arms around the half-Giant. A brief moment of panic overcame her as he hesitantly returned her hug, but she battled through it. _This was the Man who saved my life,_ she told herself _, nothing I can do will ever repay that_.

She stepped back after a moment and smiled shyly up at him, "I have no way to ever repay you Hagrid for all that you have done for me. All I can do is say 'Thank you' for saving my life and taking care of me even when I didn't want it. I honestly don't think I'd be standing here today if you hadn't shown up at that circus when you did."

As Hermione stepped out into the cold night, she gave one last look behind her to see Hagrid standing at the doorway watching them, tears rolling into his beard as he smiled. A weight she never knew she had was lifted off her shoulders and, with a small wave goodbye, Hermione took possession of Fleur's hand and made her way back to the carriage.

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

 **AN:** Did you think I forgot about you guys? I'm going to be honest, I kinda did. Four midterms + four projects + tutoring + a butt ton of homework + a random af essay = sad time for shdw. Legit, school had me stressed out for a while and I think (read as "I hope") it is beginning to settle down to the point that I can start working on the story again. Thank you all for your patience though, I do appreciate it.

Now, let me explain something real fast. I absolutely hated this chapter (probably another reason it took too long to write). I'm like, "its the Yule Ball! Everyone and their dog has done the Yule Ball! We all know what happens, we all know what it is, retelling it like it is would be boring". I had to have rewrote this chapter nearly a dozen times because I could never get it the way I liked it (if you read closely, you will see where I gave up). So this is the final product of all my hard work which spanned nearly four weeks. I hope you enjoy it.

 **Disclaimer:** Something something Harry Potter something something I don't own it something something [insert funny comment here]. Nailed It!

-xXx-

Fleur smiled at Hermione as they gracefully spun around the dancefloor, the multitude of sparkling lights making it seem as if they were under the stars. Students danced around them, most lost in their own little world, others laughing loudly and joking with others. All, however, could feel the Solstice spirit and the overwhelming joy that radiated around the room warmed Fleur's heart.

It had been a lot more fun than she first thought, parading onto the floor with her beloved mate on her arm, beaming with pride as the students watched them begin the first dance. Fleur had thought earlier that Krum would have caused some sort of scene (especially with all of the animosity between them), but she was, so far, pleasantly surprised. The Bulgarian barely spoke a word to anyone, merely grunting at his partner as she blabbered about something insignificant. Fleur did find it a bit rude that, after the opening dance was finished, Krum left the girl on the dance floor to stand moodily against the back wall. She had winced when the girl burst into tears and was dragged away by her friends, but ultimately ended up ignoring the scene. The girl in her own arms was more important.

She had spared a quick glance around the room near the beginning of the night, just to check on all of her Sisters and fledglings. All seemed to be enjoying themselves, but the Sister that caught her attention was Amélie. She and Harry had been waltzing around the dancefloor, the young Wizard a mixture of shyness and pride as they moved, while the redheaded Veela flashed her most dazzling smile at him. Fleur still was not sure how her friend convinced the boy to go with her, but they seemed to be a great match. As long as Amélie was serious in her pursuit, she saw no issue in the relationship and would support them wholeheartedly.

Hermione giggled as Fleur expertly spun her away for a moment before returning the brunette to her arms. The Delacour's had only held a few balls since the brunette had joined their Clan and each time Fleur could not help but show off a bit. _As long as Hermione enjoys it,_ Fleur smiled into the curls that she had buried her face into, _that is all that matters._

" _You are going to mess up my hair if you keep doing that,_ **"** Hermione breathed into her ear. They were probably too close for a traditional dance, but considering the lack of decorum around her, Fleur could honestly say that she did not care.

Fleur's only response was to nuzzle further into the haphazardly contained curls and breathe deeply. Ever since Hermione had first descended the staircase in the carriage (Fleur had had the wonderful idea that they should get ready for the ball separately), the blonde had been unable to keep her eyes off of the beautiful witch. She felt more enraptured than she had when they had first met and it was hard to keep her hands to herself.

The music changed to a slower pace and Fleur felt arms wrap around her neck and a small kiss be placed against the recently scarred bite mark. A purr erupted from deep within, the Veela's subtle way of making its presence known. Hermione laughed lightly against her and rested her head on the blonde's shoulder. Fleur closed her eyes in bliss, allowing the mood of the night to take her.

-oOo-

Harry found himself laughing loudly at the redheaded Veela's story. It had something to do with her and Fleur and some ancient artifact of the Delacour Clan (Harry had been shocked when that little detail had been revealed) and he had to admit, there were times that he was lost, but he wouldn't trade the experience for the world. He couldn't remember the last time he had had so much fun and honestly couldn't believe that the beauty before him actually wanted to put up with all of his awkwardness.

All throughout the Yule Ball, he and Amélie and gone between dancing and talking. Harry had told her when the first met up (and after he had stopped ogling her) that he couldn't dance very well (or at all). The Veela had merely waved her hand dismissively, saying something along the lines of 'Dancing is not zee only fun zing to do' and took hold of his arm. Harry had been amazed that he hadn't stepped on any of her toes throughout their many dances (and there had been more than he ever intended there to be), but he had a small inkling that it was due to her creature blood.

It was Amélie whispering into his ear that she could use a little bit of fresh air that brought them out on the balcony despite the cold weather. However, he wasn't sure if it was due to the heat from the Great Hall, his recently discovered fire abilities, or the girl beside him, but Harry couldn't feel the chill from the air. In fact, now that he thought about it, this winter hadn't seemed that cold to him at all.

" 'arry, are you still wiz me?"

Harry shook his head slightly to clear it and looked up at Amélie. He had received some ribbing from the other Gryffindors about his date being nearly a head taller than him (some rubbish about the fact that the man should be taller than the woman), but one sight of poor Ron's robes had set them off his case and onto his friend's. Not that he had let them get to him anyways.

"Yea, I was just thinking is all," Harry replied with a blush, "Sorry."

The Veela tilted her head as she looked at him, "Oh? What about?"

He shrugged, "Ya know, stuff. The Tournament, the next Task, the dragon." Harry gave her a bashful look. "You."

"Moi? Really," she got a Cheshire grin as she leaned forwards, resting her arms on the banister before them, "What about moi 'as you so worked up, chéri?"

Harry felt his blush return full force as he focused on a fascinating scratch he found on the banister. He instantly regretted opening his big mouth and quickly tried to think up an alternate reason than the one that had been plaguing him since she agreed to the date. However, under her intense gaze, the Boy-Who-Lived felt his shoulders sag as nothing new came to mind.

"I guess," he hesitated, running his fingers once more over the deep scratch for reassurance, "I guess I'm still wondering why you agreed to go with me is all." Harry risked a glance at her and immediately blushed at Amélie's confused stare.

"I-I mean, I've had a great time, don't get me wrong. Best night of my life in fact. But I can't help but wonder what's in it for you. I can't be that fun to be around. I know how awkward I am at best and I probably sound like a nutter when I'm at my worst. You seem like a really nice person, so I'd hate for you to only be interested in my fame." The thought caused a frown to mar his face. Definitely wouldn't be the first time that was the reason for somebody wanting to hang out with him.

After a moment of silence, he sighed, "I guess it would be alright if that wer-"

" 'arry, stop."

The black-haired boy immediately froze, swallowing thickly at the anger he sensed in her voice. He had to physically force himself not to flinch away from the hand placed on his arm, but, even then, Amélie jerked away as if he had. Harry cursed himself under his breath, turning his head away so he didn't have to see the anger (or worse, pity) in those expressive, green eyes. _It's been four months, for God's sake! Don't freak out on her now because I can't let things go. Seriously, nice going, Potter. Now she probably thinks you're more of a freak than she first realized._

"You are wrong, 'arry." The soft utterance had him stilling, wondering briefly if he had spoken out loud. After a moment's hesitation, he lifted his head slightly and relaxed a little at the Veela's smile.

While looking him in the eye, Amélie stepped gently towards him to where they were almost touching. "You are wrong," she repeated, laying her hand over his as they gripped tightly onto the banister. At the soothing touch, Harry relaxed fully while staring, near mesmerized, at the Veela.

"Listen to me." She began softly, "I am not 'ere because you are rich or famous or any ozer such nonsense you are zinking of, d'accord? I am 'ere because I want to be. Because I like you." He opened his mouth to speak, but quickly blinked in shock as she placed a finger over his lips. "Let me finish."

Amélie waited until he nodded before smiling and lowering her hand, "Bon. Now, obviously you do not see what I see when you look at yourself. I do not see an awkward, crazy man when I look at you. I see somebody 'oo is strong, 'oo is willing to 'elp zee people around 'im even when 'e is not asked or obligated. I see somebody 'oo is smart, funny," she smiled and looked away briefly, only to return with such an intense look that Harry couldn't hope to place the emotion behind it, "somebody 'oo is amazing at near everyzing zey do. I will admit, I 'ave not known you for very long. Mais, I 'ave 'eard zee stories zat Maya 'as told of 'er time 'ere and I am 'appy zat 'er description of you is true."

"But…you never acted interested in me when you guys first got here." Harry furrowed his brow as he remembered the kind indifference all of the Veela (with the exception of Fleur) had shown the Hogwart's students. "I figured you were just being nice because we were Hermione's friends."

She nodded and shrugged, "Zat is true. I did not give you a second glance when we first got 'ere. You were 'arry Potter et I knew zee story be'ind your scar and zee more personal stories I over'eard, mais you never were more zan Maya's friend to me."

"Then what changed? If you don't mind me asking." He suddenly frowned and stepped away, "did Hermione set you up to this? Because she knew I didn't have a date yet?"

Amélie cocked her head and gave him a blank stare, "What did I tell you? I am 'ere because I want to be. Nobody could force me to go wiz you even if zey tried so get zose silly zoughts out of your 'ead. You want to know what changed? 'onestly, it was zee First Task."

He blinked in confusion, "the First Task? Why? I didn't do anything that was impressive. Unless you count almost getting myself killed with that fire bit."

"Zat was pretty impressive," she grinned at him before shaking her head, "mais, non. What caught zee Veela's attention was when you sat and talked wiz zee dragon." ( _The Veela?_ Harry questioned to himself) "It was fascinated wiz zee fact zat you did not just rush in and attack 'er. Zat you cautiously approached and spoke to zee dragon as an equal when she made 'erself known."

"I…I was terrified though, not brave. I had the full intention of just leaving after my obligated five minutes and taking the lowest score possible. It just so happened that I stumbled upon the eggs. Definitely wasn't intentional."

"You do not know 'ow to take a compliment do you?" Harry blushed at her teasing. "It does not matter zee reasons be'ind your actions. You caught zee Veela's attention, zat is all zat mattered. 'owever, what really made us decide to pursue you was zee next day."

The Boy-Who-Lived groaned slightly as he remembered the day after the Task. His head had felt like it was going to explode, with his throat as dry as the desert and his eyes beyond itchy. He had been thoroughly surprised that he had perfect vision without his glasses, so he supposed one good thing had come from it.

Amélie nudged him slightly with a smirk, "Remembering zee feeling after coming down?" His brief nod caused her to laugh. "Oui, it takes some getting used to, zat is for sure. Mais zat is not what I am talking about."

"I would hope not," Harry deadpanned, "unless you're into a hungover drunk."

His chest puffed out with pride as she laughed loudly. "And you wonder why I like you," the redhead sent a wink his way causing his blush to return.

"In all seriousness zough, wiz zee Veela interested in you, we were finally able to sense it."

"Sense what?"

The hand that was laid over his chest was warmer than anything Harry had ever encountered. He swallowed thickly at the serious look that had formed in the girl's eyes and prayed to every deity he could think of that she didn't feel the way his heartbeat increased at the gentle touch.

"Your fire," she muttered, holding his eyes as she did.

His nervousness changed to utter confusion as he cocked his head to the side and asked, "What?"

Her finger tapped his chest once before pulling back and bringing her hand up. Harry watched in fascination as she summoned bright flames that danced over her skin, moving her fingers back and forth as the flames licked skyward. "Veela are creatures of fire, mais, you knew zis, yes?" Amélia smiled at his slow nod before turning her attention back to her display. "Well, it is often said zat, because of my red 'air, my Veela is more in tune wiz zee fire…et zere is some truz to zis fact. I can summon my fire faster zan mes Sisters and it uses less of my strengz to do so.

It also lets me become closer to ozer creatures of fire faster zan zee ozers. I can feel zee fire in zem and zey can feel it in me so zey feel more comfortable wiz me. In a similar way, my Veela can sense your fire et, for some reason, it is in tune to ours. Almost like it is zee same, just inside of anozer. It is because of zis zat zee Veela became interested and urged me to get closer to you."

Harry drew his eyes away from the beautiful flames to look into the intense eyes staring back at him. "Are you saying…that…we're mates? Like Fleur and Hermione? …Because of the fire thing?"

"Je ne sais pas," Amélie sighed, allowing the flames to dissipate and turned her attention to the gardens they overlooked, "when zee Veela awoke, it never got zee pull associated wiz a mate like my Sisters. Et while its rare, it's not un'eard of. Ma maman said zat it is because zee fire is so strong wiz me zat zee Veela was more focused on zat zan a mate at zee time." She sent him a sad smile before returning to look at the garden. "You are zee only person to really capture its attention like zis."

Before he could react ( _but really,_ he mentally shook his head, _what could I even say to that_ ), the Veela stood up straight and shook her head. "I am sorry, 'arry," Amélie sent him a dazzling smile, "I did not mean to ruin zee mood. Let us go back to zee dance and forget all about zis, d'accord?"

The black-haired boy nodded slightly and looked down as she took hold of his hand. As the beauty began to walk away, intent on leading him back into the Great Hall, Harry did something that he would later reflect as the smoothest thing he has ever and will ever do.

Pulling all of his Gryffindor courage together, the Boy-Who-Lived tugged forcefully on her arm, internally wincing as the Veela was jerked back so hard that he had to wrap his other arm around her waist to keep her standing. Harry never gave her time to question his actions (and from Amélie's narrowed eyes, he knew she was going to demand an explanation) as he quickly leaned up and covered her lips with his own.

For a mere second, they were both frozen in shock at his actions, staring wide-eyed at each other as they registered what had happened. Harry immediately cursed himself and nearly pulled back, fully intent on apologizing, when the redhead relaxed in his arms and began to move her lips tentatively against his own, closing her eyes as she sighed into the kiss. Going off of instinct, Harry let go of her hand and cupped her cheek, smiling as she moved her arms to wrap around his neck and ran a hand through his hair, his own eyes sliding closed at the sensation.

 _Best Christmas ever_ , he thought giddily before she opened her mouth and all thought not relating to the Veela in his arms left his head completely.

-oOo-

Ron sighed into his cup as he allowed the happy atmosphere to rush past him. He knew ( _Just bloody knew_ ) the Ball would be a disaster and the only thing that brought him an ounce of joy was the fact that it was almost over and he could go back to his Christmas presents and candy.

Since the Ball had started, he hadn't moved from his spot at the table. People kept bringing him drinks and food (of which he was grateful), but he couldn't bring himself to stand up and interact with anyone. Nothing had gone his way since the announcement of the Yule Ball and he felt every single thing bearing down on him at that moment.

First he couldn't find a bloody date, which would've been fine if he hadn't been the only one. He, Harry, and Neville had made the decision to go stag to the dance (even though Harry said that McGonagall had made it clear he needed a date) and they were going to hang out together and make fun of all the stupid, giggly couples.

…except Fleur and Hermione of course. He still hadn't forgotten Fury's destruction of that bloody egg.

But then Harry came back to the Common Room after his Gringott's appointment all in a daze and blankly told them that he somehow acquired a date to the Ball. Ron had only been able to stare at him in shock when his mate had said that Amélie somehow tricked him into asking her.

 _Women_ , the redhead thought with a grunt, _bloody insane they all are. Always tricking people into agreeing with them or doing whatever to get their way. Mental._

Ron had thought it all a joke until the next day when the redheaded Veela had been all snuggled up against Harry. And then the Boy-Who-Lived just went along with it! As if he didn't have enough to worry about, with the Tournament, Quidditch next year, You-Know-Who always coming back to kill him, the Old Goat using him for whatever schemes, Ron's own mum trying to hook him and Ginny up…

 _Ya know…Harry deserves to be happy,_ Ron looked down into his glass, _he has so much bad shit after him and if he gets one chance to be happy, then I'll help him with it. Good for you mate_. _I'm happy for you._ He raised his glass in a fake toast and downed the rest in one gulp.

But (Ron sighed again) that didn't help his own situation. Harry was off wherever with his bird (they had disappeared from the dance floor a while ago) and Neville was dancing with Lightspark, having the time of his life. The redhead was happy for his friends, but Merlin did he wish he had somebody to talk to.

"Looky here Forge." _Oh Merlin no, not them. Anybody but them._

"I see him, Gred."

"Our Ronnikens is all alone here in the corner."

Ron heaved a sigh and looked up at the Twins, trying to keep a neutral face while he frantically tried to think of a way to get them to fuck off. "Please guys, I'm not in the mood tonight. Can't you just go back to your dates and leave me alone?"

They both looked at one another before moving to sit on either side of him, scooting their chairs as close as possible, nearly to the point of uncomfortable. The Twins simultaneously smoothed their dress robes out as they sat down, moved a few of his glasses and empty plates away from them, and leaned an arm against the table.

"What's wrong, Ron?" Fred asked, oddly more serious than Ron had ever heard either one of them.

Rather than question why they were asking, why they were concerned about him, or even why they cared, Ron felt words bubble up and out of his chest before he had a chance to swallow them.

"You want to know what's wrong? Everything's bloody wrong! This entire Ball is wrong and I can't leave without seeming like a coward and I can't stay here and be made fun of this entire time. You guys got Bill and Charlie's old dress robes and they look amazing on you. Mum bought Ginny a new set with the hopes of Harry asking her out. And guess fucking what? Harry could give two shits about Ginny in her new dress robes, but that doesn't matter to Mum, does it!? As long as she thinks Ginny still has a shot with him, that woman will try and push them together no matter what.

But that's not even the worst of it! I was too shy and embarrassed to ask anybody to go with and, on one hand, I'm so bloody lonely in the middle of this damn thing and, on the other, I'm bloody HAPPY that I didn't embarrass anybody with these stupid fucking robes. Can you imagine the look that woulda crossed my date's face if they had seen me? Merlin, they probably woulda acted like we weren't together AND I WOULDN'T'VE BLAMED THEM!

I'm always getting the short end of the stick in this fucking family and I'm sick of it. Just, for once, I wish that Mum cared about me the same way she cares about the rest of you. Because, if she cared even a little bit about me, she woulda never have sent me these frilly fluffy robes. I mean, come on! Look at them," Ron pulled at the lace around his neck and the cloth wrapped around his wrist in anger before waving his hands out at the crowd. "They look ridiculous and everybody has been making fun of me since I was dragged down here." He put his head in hands, trying to stop the ( _stupid, bloody_ ) tears from falling.

"I just wish this night never happened," Ron whispered, gripping his hair tightly.

For a moment, the only noise he could hear was the Ball going on around them. Ron had the brief thought that the Twins had left him, their interference not even needed to make his life miserable. It was only when two arms were placed over his shoulders that he knew his brothers abandoned him.

"Ron, we're going to tell you a hard truth that we had to learn on our own," George muttered to his left.

"Bill never taught us this, Charlie didn't, and I'm sure Percy would rather sell his first born than even think of it," Fred chuckled.

"And Mum would go spare if she ever thought that we said this."

"So, are you ready?"

The Twins looked at him expectantly, their faces as serious as Ron has had ever seen them. The redhead kept whipping his head back and forth to look at the pranksters, waiting for either one or both of them to pull some joke, but nothing ever came. Finally, his curiosity got the better of him and Ron found his head nodding as he looked between his brothers.

At the same time, both Fred and George said, "Fuck it."

"What?!" Ron had never felt so bewildered in his life.

"Just fuck it," Fred nodded sagely.

George added, "Fuck it all," while tapping Ron's shoulder rhythmically.

"You want to know why we don't care about making a fool of ourselves?"

"Because we don't care what people think about us."

"We know who we are,"

"And we are comfortable with what we do."

"As long as we're happy, who cares what everyone else thinks."

"Just fuck 'em."

"I'm honestly embarrassed that you, Ronald Weasley, OUR little brother,"

"has spent his entire Christmas night during an amazing dance,"

"sitting alone at a table,"

"wallowing in self-pity."

"Which isn't much fun, is it?"

Ron quickly shook his head, still in too much shock to open his mouth.

"Then why continue?"

"Why didn't you just get up,"

"look all those people that were making fun of you in the eye,"

"and give them a big ole,"

"'Fuck You'."

"Wha-" Ron felt like his entire world was just turned on its ear.

"Who cares if your robes are hideous?"

"Who cares if you didn't get a date?"

Fred twisted his head back and forth, scanning the crowd before turning back to him, "The only one I see that cares, is you."

"And if you really think that everyone cares,"

"just hold your head up high and think 'Fuck 'em'."

"Because only YOU can make you happy,"

"and only YOU can be the person that you want to be."

"You think Mum doesn't love you as much as she does us?"

"Which is completely ridiculous by the way," George shoved him playfully and Ron couldn't help the smile that formed on his face.

"Then go out there and prove that you don't need it."

"Seriously Ron, there's no reason for you to feel this way."

"We want you happy, Little Brother,"

"and if that means telling you that you just need to say 'fuck it all',"

"then, by Merlin that's what we're going to do."

They both looked at him expectantly and Ron could sit there and process it all.

 _Fuck it?_ He thought, _fuck what? Fuck the students? I mean, that makes sense, right? They're always making fun of me, either to my face or behind my back, about my grades or that my family is poor. So yea, fuck them. Nobody besides my friends think I'm going to make anything of myself. Not my teachers, my parents, nobody._ Ron felt his courage rise and nodded his head in anticipation. _So fuck them too. Who cares that I didn't get a date? Didn't want to be saddled with a chick all night anyways. And my robes, yea, they're hideous, but ya know? Its only tonight. In the future, once I get an awesome job and am richer than I can imagine, I'll be able to afford the finest dress robes the world has ever seen. Fuck everyone who thinks otherwise._

"You're right," Ron pounded his fists on the table, determination filling his eyes, "fuck everyone. I damn near ruined my entire night by being miserable and it hasn't done anything but hurt ME."

Fred clapped him on the back, "Thata boy! So, what are you going to do?"

Ron whipped his head to look at him then whipped back around to look at George. Seeing the mirror grins caused his own to widen as he glanced out onto the dancefloor where the other students were dancing to some upbeat tune. "I'm going to get out there and have fun with my mates."

"There we go, Ron!" Both Twins leapt to their feet and drug him up with them. "Go get 'em. Have fun! Be yourself."

The Fourth Year dusted his frills down and threw his shoulders back with his head raised. With the encouragement of his brothers behind him, Ron moved around the table and to the dancefloor, drawing a few glances, but ultimately ignoring them all.

Just as he reached the edge of the floor, a snuffling sound drew his attention. Putting his main mission on hold, Ron found his attention drawn to a crying girl off to the side and winced slightly. He (like everyone else in the room) had witnessed how Krum had abandoned Lavender Brown on the dancefloor after the opening dance. The redhead had been too miserable in his own right to think too much of it, but now, looking back on it, his hero-worship of the Seeker took a dramatic plunge after that act.

"Lavender," he questioned, cautiously approaching the blonde as she continued to cry in her arms, "why are you crying?" Ron wasn't quite sure what he was doing (crying women never was his strong suit), but something told him that he couldn't leave her to be the only one miserable at the Ball.

The witch immediately stopped snuffling and looked up, wiping the tears away with her arms. "R-really, Ron? You h-h-have to ask?" He winced slightly (at her stuttering or the stupid question he wasn't sure) as she continued, "Seriously, g-go away. Just leave m-me alone. I've had enough people make fun of me today."

The redhead couldn't help it, he snorted. "Seriously?" he scoffed, "They've made fun of you? You? For what? Krum ditching you after the dance?" Lavender glared at him and he folded his arms in front of his chest.

"It could be worse, ya know." Ron felt his eyebrow raise, "you could be stuck in an ugly dress robe that makes you look like your great aunt Shirley."

Her eyes quickly darted down and grew wide, a small blush rose to her face. "…Uh…"

Ron heaved a sigh and pulled out a chair, "Don't worry about it. My point is, who cares what they think. Krum's an ass and you shouldn't give him a second thought. You're too pretty to spend the rest of the Ball crying your eyes out."

His stomach sank as her face changed to one of complete shock, the confidence boost from his brothers quickly fading as what he said finally registered. _Merlin, me and my big mouth,_ Ron groaned internally, _maybe I'll just sneak out that back and go eat all my candy. Collapse in a big sugary pile and die happy._

"You really think I'm pretty?" Lavender muttered shyly. One glance at her face (her very bashful face, Ron noted) had the redhead thinking one thing. _Ah, fuck it._

He gave a quick shrug and a nod, "Well yea, of course. You're beautiful, Lav. Amazing, smart, kind, and funny too. You're a good-hearted person and if dumb ole Krum couldn't realize how amazing you are, then he doesn't deserve you."

"That's really sweet, Ron."

They both sat shyly at the table, unsure of what to say next. Ron was just relieved that she wasn't crying anymore and that he finally had somebody else to talk to.

"Um…would you like to dance?"

Ron's head shot up to look at the now blushing girl, wondering if he had heard her correctly. "What?" he asked, hoping that it had just been his head playing tricks on him.

"Well," Lavender bit her lip for a second before motioning out onto the floor, "we are at a dance and seem to be without dates and this is one of my favorite song and I would really like to dance with you." The rush of words ended in a mumble and the blonde ducked her head, unable to meet his gaze.

"Erm, I can't really dance," Ron rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"That's okay!" she shot him a smile and stood up, holding out her hand, "We can just…sorta," Lavender gave a quick shrug, "…hop around if you want. This song's too fast paced to really dance anyways." Looking up at the blonde (and noting the desperation in her eyes), Ron thought of his new found motto. _Fuck it._

Nodding, he stood up and grabbed ahold of her hand, leading her to the dancefloor towards his friends. "Let's go dance, Lav!" Ron shouted back at her as she giggled behind him.

Neville flashed him a quick thumbs up as the boy caught sight of him and Seamus and Dean quickly pushed him from both sides. Ron shoved them back and turned to the blonde witch and watched in awe as she put her hands in the air and started dancing back and forth, a broad smile on her face. He had to shake himself to get out of his trance and quickly copied her.

There was no way Ron could help the laugh the bubbled out of his chest as he bounced in the crowd beside the girl and his friends. The song reverberated through him and his feet took on a life of their own as he bounced around a laughing Lavender and moved his arms to and fro. He might've looked ridiculous, but the encouraging shouts from his brothers and his friends made him wonder why he cared so much before. As long as he was happy with his actions, that's all that mattered.

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

 **AN** **:** ...well...here we are again. Three years after I first published this and nearly two after I last updated. In all honesty, I'm super embarrassed and sorry for this long ass time away. I truly have no excuses other than life happened and continued to happen. But, don't worry! I have never stopped writing. I haven't lost my muse for this story. It has just taken me a longer time writing due to the stresses of life. Not sure when the next chapter will be posted, but I promise. I AM going to finish this. So nobody worry. Shdw's back!

 **Disclaimer:** In all this time away, I still haven't acquired the copyright for Harry Potter or any of its characters. I still just own this lovely plot.

-xXx-

Hermione felt herself yawn widely as she sat down for breakfast. Only a couple of dozen students had made it down so far and she briefly wondered what it was that had made her leave her warm and cozy bed so early. She and Fleur had had such a good night during and after the Yule Ball and all the Kanaima wanted to do was curl back up with her mate and go to sleep. _Oh if only that were a possibility,_ she sighed, thinking of the early morning call as she allowed her eyes to drift closed for a moment.

"Morning, Hermione," a too cheerful Harry beamed at her. She opened a bleary eye to see the Boy-Who-Lived happily munching on a piece of toast.

"Harry," she groaned, "why are you so happy this early? It's too early to be this happy."

He cocked his head to the side as he peered at her, "It's nearly nine o'clock, which is way later than we normally get up for classes." Hermione grunted in response.

"Besides," he continued, his demeanor changing to one of bashfulness, "I couldn't sleep much last night."

This caught Hermione's attention as she gazed at him curiously. "Oh?" she questioned, "Yule Ball too much excitement for you?"

Harry shrugged and muttered something (sounded like "You could say that" to her) before looking towards the Great Hall doors. "Where's the Clan?" the black-haired boy suddenly asked, "I figured they woulda been down with you."

She cocked her head to the side, now more wide-awake than before, "They had a meeting this morning. Did you and Amélie do something special last night?" Hermione couldn't help the grin that formed on her face as her friend blushed brightly.

Leaning her head on her hands, the brunette fully focused on the boy before her. "Now you have to tell me. What did you and your Veela get up to last night?"

"She's not my Veela," he muttered while picking at his toast.

She snorted, "Yea, well, tell the Clan that. Trust me Harry, once you get one that interested in you, you're basically stuck with them. Only her finding her mate or you being mated to another would cause this relationship to break."

Harry peered at her for a moment before glancing up at the ceiling. Hermione wasn't sure if something had caught his attention or if he was looking up there for an answer, but before she had a chance to ask him, the Wizard nodded and shrugged his shoulders as he looked back at her, "I think I'm fine with that."

"Good," her eyebrow rose for a moment before gesturing towards him, urging him to continue.

He reared back slightly as his face scrunched up in confusion, "What?"

Hermione barely resisted the urge to throw her hands up in frustration. "What happened last night?" she basically demanded.

"Oh, ya know. We danced and talked and stuff. Good times to be had by all."

"Come on, Harry," she whined. It was too early to be playing this stupid game.

Harry took a quick glance and shrugged (though the attempt at nonchalance was ruined by the bright blush), "We also may have…um…ya know…kissed." He had muttered the last part and Hermione had never been more grateful for her heightened senses.

She squealed, clapping her hands together in a moment of glee. "Harry! I'm so happy for you. When did it happen? WHERE did it happen? Did you kiss her or her you? It had to have been her surely. Ha-"

"Hermione! Dear Merlin, relax," the Boy-Who-Lived shook his head, "I swear woman, you're more excited than I am."

"Well of course I am. For the last two years I've had to deal with endless amounts of teasing and knowing looks and I am ecstatic to finally have them off my back and onto somebody else's." She took a sip of her tea as she ignored his terrified look. "Honestly Harry, thank you. This is the best Christmas gift you could have given me."

He merely rolled his eyes and shoved the rest of his toast into his mouth, muttering a "Happy to help" as he did. They had a few moments of comfortable silence as the Great Hall slowly filled with students, both lost in their own thoughts about the night before and the days to come. However, the peace didn't last as Hermione became aware of the growing number of people looking their way. The fact they had the Daily Prophet before them filled her with dread.

"Erm…Harry?"

Both of the Fourth years glanced up to see a cautious Neville standing beside them, the newspaper clenched tightly in his grasp. Without any word to the boy, Harry snatched it out of his hands and glanced at the front page. The sudden flare in his bright green eyes set off every instinct Hermione had.

With an uncharacteristic growl, Harry flung the paper towards her before clenching his fists tightly. "Why can she not leave me alone?" he whispered, "Just one day I want to live my life in peace."

Hermione quickly ignored him and the ever fearful Neville in favor of glancing at the picture adorning the front page. She sent a pulse along the Bond, hoping that Fleur would hurry up as she quickly read through Skeeter's new article.

The picture itself was quite lovely, if not a bit invasive. It was taken just as Harry (which shocked Hermione to no end) had captured Amélie's lips in a passionate kiss. Hermione couldn't help but smile as she saw the brief confusion and then utter happiness that occurred between the two of them. This picture would surely be cut out by one (or, more likely, all) of the Veela and used against the couple in the future.

However, it was the bold headline questioning the Veela's motives that caused her to worry. If there was one thing she had learned the most during her time with the Clan, it was to never insult a Veela in any way, shape, or form. They don't take too kindly to it.

She quickly read through the article and was not impressed. Skeeter had taken little time to look at who Amélie really was, only mentioning the Veela's name, the fact that she was, indeed, a full-blooded Veela, and her year in school. The majority of the article speculated whether or not she was trying to sabotage the Tournament by distracting 'their' Boy-Who-Lived and allowing Fleur a clear path to victory. Even Hermione herself was brought into question with the article, reminding readers of her altercation with Krum. It then ended by Skeeter questioning the legitimacy of Fleur's place in the Tournament and borderline blamed the entirety of Beauxbaton's to be conspiring against the other Champions. Skeeter even had the nerve to issue a warning to Diggory, speculating that he could very well be next on their 'hitlist'.

Hermione shook her head, wondering who all could believe this nonsense.

However, a quick glance around the room showed that most of the students had read the article and trusted every word of it. Around her, Hogwart's students were shooting her glares from the corner of their eyes and she quickly tensed, feeling suddenly self-conscious. Without meaning to, Hermione found her eyes drifting towards the Slytherin table and quickly locked eyes with Krum. The Bulgarian simply smirked and raised his goblet before taking a drink, confusing her completely.

She had been so focused on the students surrounding them that a hand resting itself on her shoulder caused her to jump. It was only the familiar scent of vanilla that caused her not to draw her wand. As Fleur settled in beside her, Hermione locked eyes with Amélie as she sat worriedly by Harry, shooting a glance towards her before turning her attention back to the boy. Without a word, she handed the paper over to the redhead and watched as the article was read through a few times before the Veela's eyes flashed a bright gold. Everyone who had been watching the exchange (which had been nearly everyone in the Hall) jumped back in surprise as the paper clutched tightly within Amélie's grasp burst into flames. Hermione watched worriedly as deep green feathers began sprouting around the redhead's hairline.

" _Relax, Sister,_ **"** Fleur said firmly, **"** _There is nothing to be done now._ **"**

The Veela slammed her hand on the table, once more causing everyone to jump. **"** _Relax?! How dare you tell me to relax?! This woman must be punished! Saying that I would dare do anything to compromise my Harry. I will find her and te-_ **"**

" _Amélie! Enough._ **"** The oppressive feeling of Thrall washed throughout the room, silencing any remaining conversations. However, this did not seem to calm the raging Veela before them and Hermione briefly wondered if there was going to be fight that Boxing Day.

At least, she did, until Harry reached over and grasped Amélie's hand.

Hermione could honestly say that she had never seen such an abrupt change in a Veela before. Sure, she had done nearly the same thing to Fleur on numerous occasions, but this sudden calming had her blinking her eyes in confusion, wondering if she had just imagined the half-transformed Veela the entire time.

As soon as Harry tugged on her, the flames surrounding the redhead's hands immediately extinguished and her feathers started to recede. Amélie whipped her head down to look at him, looking for all the world like that was the first time seeing him. It only took her a moment, but her face quickly heated up, turning near the same shade of red as her hair as she sat down, muttering a quick apology to the Boy-Who-Lived.

Harry, for what it was worth, looked equal parts confused, amazed, and happy. _Probably didn't think that would work,_ Hermione thought with a grin.

"It's alright, Amélie," Harry said with a lopsided grin, "just thinking of Skeeter's ugly face wants me to spontaneously combust too."

Those within hearing distance shared a chuckle, imagining the woman's ridiculous glasses and hair. Conversation returned to the students as Fleur sat down and wrapped an arm around Hermione's waist. _It's a very different experience watching another newly formed pair,_ Hermione thought, _no wonder everyone teased us so much. They're too adorable together._

Amélie's face was still red as she apologized once more, "I am truly sorry, 'arry. I did not mean to lose control like zat. Just zee zought of zat woman," the redhead spat out the word as her eyes flashed gold once more, "insulting such a wonderful night sent zee Veela into a rage. I…" Amélie turned shy for a moment, an emotion that Hermione never thought possible in the lively Veela, "I hope you did not believe what she wrote."

Harry scoffed, pulling her closer, "Of course not. Skeeter can't write the truth if it was presented before her. Hell, I like you even that much more after seeing the fire. It was amazing…"

His face turned a bright red as all the Veela surrounding them smiled in his direction. Amélie was nearly beaming which caused Hermione to chuckle at the pair.

"Not that I'm not happy for my best mate, but do you have to turn into a cuddly couple so early on?"

They all looked towards Ron ( _late as always,_ Hermione shook her head) as he settled down on the other side of Harry. Feeling all the eyes on him, the boy looked up from where he was piling his plate tall and looked around in confusion.

"What?"

"Where have you been?" Hermione raised an eyebrow at the redhead.

Ron scrunched up his face and shrugged, "It's Boxing Day. I was in bed, of course."

"Let me guess, the only reason you're up is because you got hungry," Harry playfully shoved him.

"Well, duh."

Hermione was too interested in teasing her other friend that the sudden landing of a near dozen owls scared the shit out of her. It was obvious that nobody else expected the massive amount of birds that morning, least of all Amélie, who was now watching the birds before her in bewilderment. The owls soon began to fight each other, trying to be the first to deliver their message to the redheaded Veela.

Harry stage whispered, "You must have a lot of friends back home."

Without a word, the Veela narrowed her eyes and started carefully taking each letter from the owls (who immediately flew up and out after being relieved of their duty). She flipped through all of them, glancing at the front and back of each before sorting them in separate piles, not opening a single one.

"Um…what are you doing?" Hermione watched in vast interest. If she had been in Amélie's position, she wouldn't have hesitated in ripping open each envelope, anxious to see what they were all about.

The glare she received sent Hermione looking pitifully towards Fleur.

The blonde sighed, "If I were to guess, zose letters," she pointed to the larger pile, "are from people zat none of us know. Which means zat zey are more zan likely from zee people 'oo 'ave read zee paper and believed zat garbage. From 'ow zee ozer students 'ave reacted, I would say zat is a safe bet." Amélie nodded once as she opened one of the three letters that weren't in the pile and read over it.

"And those are from family," Hermione shook her head, feeling very silly all of a sudden.

"Hey, what's Errol doing here?" Ron suddenly said, pointing towards the ceiling. "I thought all of our presents had already been delivered…"

All of their eyes suddenly shot up as a very ragged looking owl flew ( _plummeted,_ Hermione winced) towards them. The red letter it held tightly between its claws caused the Great Hall to become silent once more.

As he too landed in front of Amélie, Errol quickly deposited the Howler in front of her and took off as fast as he could. From his speedy departure and Ron's and the Twin's sympathetic winces, Hermione figured Mrs. Weasley loved to send Howlers on the daily.

Amélie allowed the letter to rip itself open to begin its tirade. Mrs. Weasley's voice boomed throughout the Great Hall, calling the Veela a French Harlot who should "go back to the egg she hatched from and leave decent wizards alone". To say this enraged all of the Veela present would be an understatement.

What surprised Hermione, however, was that it was Harry that finally ended the constant yelling. The Boy-Who-Lived's green eyes flashed dangerously as he picked up the large bowl of porridge left over from breakfast and brought it contents down on the ranting letter. The Hall was deathly quiet (save for the now muffled shouts of the still on-going Howler) so near everyone heard Amélie's question.

"You know zis woman?"

Hermione winced at the dangerously low tone the Veela had. Feathers had reemerged and she knew that there was no amount of talking that could calm the redhead now.

Harry scowled down at the bowl and nodded, "That was Mrs. Weasley. She's helped me with the Wizarding world since I was a First Year."

This caused her to pause. "She is family?"

"No," Harry shook his head, "And after this stunt? Definitely not."

"Bon." With that, Amélie stood up, levitated the stack of letters, and started towards the door. The occupants of the Hall all watched and suddenly felt sorry for the older witch, even those that didn't know either redhead very well. The look on the Veela's face was murderous.

"Amélie!" Eyes shot back to the now standing Ron, who was looking towards the other redhead with worry. The Veela merely paused, waiting for him to continue.

With a deep breath, Ron squared his shoulders for a moment before allowing them to sag and meekly asked, "Try not to kill her, alright? I know she's gone spare and all, but she's still my mum."

With a quick glance over her shoulder, Amélie nodded once before proceeding out the door.

Conversation returned full force once the door slammed closed. With a heavy sigh, Ron fell back to his seat and stared dejectedly at his plate. Hermione reached over and patted his hand, not sure on what else she could do.

"What are the chances that Amélie actually kills Mrs. Weasley?" Harry asked, a thoughtful look on his face as he still looked towards the door. Hermione raised her eyebrow at him as she detected a small amount of hope in his voice while Ron groaned deeply at the question and hung his head further.

Fleur merely shrugged, taking a sip of coffee before saying, "For zee letters, I would say zat, based on zee contents of zem, she will just send a mild to moderate 'ex back. More zan likely, one zat lasts a few days or a week. No killing or anyzing like zat because she 'ad zee chance to open zem in private. No public 'umiliation at all. 'owever, since a 'owler was delivered in zee middle of a very public place during a busy time," Fleur shrugged her shoulders, "Let us just say zat if she is not going to do somezing zen I will. I might still, in fact. Zat woman insulted, not only a member of my Clan, but a very close friend. Zis is unacceptable."

"I'm not going to have a mum anymore am I?" Ron's head was on the table at this point as he groaned again.

Hermione patted his hand one more time, "Look on the bright side Ron. If she isn't dead or maimed, hopefully she'll learn from this and keep her nose out of other's business so this never happens again."

Ron groaned louder as he mentioned how impossible such a feat was. The brunette shrugged once before returning to her breakfast. There was only so much she could do and secretly she thought that Mrs. Weasley deserved everything Amélie was about to do to her. She paused once as she thought about all the things Harry and Ron thought the woman had done to them over the years and nodded. _Yea, she deserves it._

-xXx-

 **Thanks for reading!**


End file.
